Heart of the Melting Blood: The Moonlight Legend
by Lone Wolf NEO
Summary: Well, everything must come to an end, don't we all think? However, does it mark the beginning of the end, or the end of the beginning? Or is it neither? The curtain rolls down, the saga is officially over.
1. Chapter 01: In A Foreign Land

**Heart of the Melting Blood  
****The Moonlight Legend**

**Written by:** Lone Wolf NEO  
**Conceived by:** Lone Wolf NEO

**Disclaimer:** Lone Wolf NEO does not own any of TYPE MOON titles, Guilty Gear or any of the games, anime, movies, books and the like that are the property of other people. All original characters in this story are his creations and property. All insert characters are copyright or owned by their respective represented real-life entities. The author would appreciate it if the content of this story isn't plagiarized without his permission.

**For new readers:** the setting is in the timeline after the events of _Shingetsusan Tsukihime, FATE/Stay Night and Melty Blood_. This is the sequel to the earlier instalment of _Heart of Melting Blood RELOADED_, and runs roughly in parallel with Sheo Darren's _The World Within and Without_. Please refer to the two stories for background information.

**Chapter 01  
****In A Foreign Land **

It had been years since the attack on the Gear village took place. Now, Alex was no longer the sacred knight upholding the code of the holy orders. He was now a traitor, betraying people he once entrusted to serve and protect. He was now a sinner, killing and claiming every life standing in his path shrouded with delusion. The lone wolf of holy orders now had his soul tainted and coated with blood, and everyday the desire for massacre enraged inside of him. The _kodachi_ carrying the name Black Sabbath was his only companion and witness of all tragedies happening before him. He was the victim of his people's betrayal and hatred against him. He was a dead warrior. A warrior who failed to protect the people he cared of. A warrior whose heart and soul were connected to the people.

_"When the people die, so does the warrior. The failure of a warrior is when he or she fails to protect the people and the person they vow to serve and protect. Without them, their existence is nothing in this world." _

The ex-knight halted. Weakened, he fell to his knees and broke to his tears which streamed down his sorrowful eyes for the unknown times. "Why… why all these things have to happen to me? Why…?" he whimpered and screamed from the bottom of his broken heart. The creatures of the jungle were startled by the sombre cry and scattered for safety, avoiding the disturbing howl of the lone wolf.

The scream halted. Alex slowly stood back on his feet, staggering to keep himself balanced. The lone wolf lost balance and fell on the ground. The remaining strength was seeping out of him, and he was unable to move. All he could do was to slowly lie on his back and stared up at the open sky. "I have failed… I've failed to save them… the people… and Hikaru…" A tear flowed down his bruised cheek and dropped on the ground, as he silently cried. "Forgive me, everyone…" he whispered and slowly shut his eyes.

"Wait. This warmth… so familiar… how…? No, it can't be. I must be dreaming, am I?"

He opened his eyes and looked upward, noticing that a pair of ruby eyes was staring down at him in the warmest gaze he ever saw. Trying to move around, he found that his head was rested on a warm, maternal lap and was softly caressed by a warm palm. "Who… are you…?"

The woman was smiling at him. "Dizzy."

"…Dizzy?" At that time, he could see a pair of wings shielding him from the sunlight. It was as if she had been sent from the Heavens to accompany him in his final moment. "You're so beautiful… just like her…"

The woman placed a finger upon his trembling lips. "You're injured, sir. Please, don't force yourself too much, or you'll hurt yourself even more," she hushed, softly caressing his bruised cheeks.

Alex lifted his hand, trying to reach for her face before she took a hold of it and put it on his chest, resting it. "Are you… are you a…" and he almost fell asleep, as a beautiful hum began to take over his strength and conscious. "Wait… don't… I must ask you…"

Then he blacked out.

x-x-x-x-x

"This train will arrive in approximately one minute. Please make sure that all baggage are carried along, and none of your belongings are left behind. We are very happy to have served you along this trip, and we'll look forward into seeing you at the next travel. Thank you, and have a pleasant day."

Alex opened his eyes and stared outside the windows. "A dream… how long I haven't had the kind of dream?" he whispered. He was hesitant to stand up, and waited as the passengers had left their seats and approached the door, carrying their belongings along. Slow as he was, he reached for his sports bag and walked out of the train and headed toward the entrance door.

"Well, here I am," he uttered after walking out of the train station. He looked around him while putting down the bag he was carrying. "Let's see… I must find somewhere to stay before night arrives. I'm so damn tired, I need to sleep after all these travels." He outstretched, holstered the bag over his shoulder and walked down the road. He stopped at the signboard and looked up. "Mi…sa…ki… Town… huh?" he pronounced the name written on it. He shrugged and kept walking down the road that headed to the town.

Months had passed since the events of Heart of Melting Blood RELOAD took place, and Alex was taking a break from the long journey he took since he left Kiev. Already he visited various part of the world and witnessed numerous occasions that happened before his eyes. It had also been 10 years since he last lifted his sword to fight for the people; no longer he fought as the Holy Knight, but rather as his own self. Now that he remembered it, he missed the people he met at the city, especially the lone wolf of author's world and his wolf pack of Melty Blood. No longer he had to think of his endless rivalry with the Holy Knight Ky Kiske or the Corrupted Flame Sol Badguy, as well as discriminations he had to receive from the people.

His heart was tickled. The memory he shared with the alchemist of the Atlasian Academy at the city remained fresh in his mind. He still remembered the joy and sorrow he shared with purple-eyed woman, and he wished he could meet and thank her for understanding him.

x-x

_"I don't really want to do this, but I have to go. There are still errands I must settle before I can finally rest assured. I'm very sorry." _

_"Alex, you could've just taken a break from these… wanderings. I mean…" _

_"I know, Miss Sion. 10 years have passed, and still I don't think I've had everything on my side finished. And besides… I have to pay her a visit." _

_"Hikaru… isn't it?" _

_"And Laila… as well." _

_"I'm going to miss you. There are still so much I want to know about you. Well…" _

_"It's only a travel, Sion. You know both of you can meet each other again." _

_"Aw, our Atlasian mistress has a crash toward the black feather. I'm so jealous. Boo-hoo." _

_"Stop it, Arcueid! You're embarrassing me!" _

_"Come on, we already know you're attached to Mister Alex. Just tell him that you want to be with him forever. Nya!" _

_"I said stop it! You're disgracing Alex!" _

_"Well, as Sion said earlier, we're going to miss you after this. Do come to the town and visit us whenever you have time." _

_"I will, Mister Shiki. How can I forget the deeds you people have done to me? I owe you one." _

_"Don't thank us. Thank Sion, she's been helping you a lot, you know." _

_"Thanks for helping me, anyway. I'd still be wandering around the world without a reason if it isn't for the people." _

_"Leaving for another journey again, Alex?" _

_"It can't be helped, Aoshi-sensei." _

_"Farewell, Alex. Let our path cross again when the day comes." _

_"We'll miss you a lot, Alex-san! Don't forget to write letters to us, okay?" _

x-x

"Missing me, huh?" he uttered and broke into his grin. He stared up at the evening sky and chuckled. "Yeah, everywhere I go, people tend to miss me a lot. I don't know what's inside their mind, though, but it might be a good sign." He shrugged and continued walking down the road that headed to a nearby playground. He approached the bench and took a seat on it. "Better take a break. My legs are tiring out," he uttered and leaned against the bench. He grumbled and rubbed his sore legs.

He, later, took out a harmonica from his pocket and examined the item. "Now let's see how well I can play this thing," he uttered and played a song with the instrument. It only took a couple of seconds before he was caught in the hypnotizing music of the Wild West.

He stopped playing the harmonica. A child's cry caught his ears and he immediately looked for the unfortunate adolescent. He saw a young girl standing in the middle of the alley, weeping over her spilt ice cream while a woman beside her was comforting her. Shaking his head in wonder, he walked toward the couple. "May I offer my help, ma'am?" he asked.

"Thanks for the offer, sir," the young mother spoke while patted the girl's back. "I tried to tell Akiko that I'd buy her ice cream on the way home, but she insists to have one now."

Alex chuckled to hear the problem and knelt beside the girl. "Akiko, isn't it?" he asked and patted her head. "Now tell me what the problem is, I'll try to help."

"I want my ice cream…" the girl whined and pointed at the ice cream. "I don't want to go home until I get my ice cream back…"

"Aw, poor you," he uttered and chuckled. "Listen, Akiko. I'll buy you ice cream, and you must promise me to go home with your mother. Okay?"

The little girl stared at him in disbelief. "Really? Will you buy me ice cream, big brother?" she asked, her eyes sparkling in excitement.

"Of course I will, because I don't like to see a cute girl crying over lost things," he answered and patted her head again. He, then, excused himself, ran toward a nearby ice cream stand and came back with ice cream in his hand. "Here you go."

"You did buy me ice cream!" the girl excitedly cried and took the ice cream. "Thank you very much, big brother! I will not forget the deed you've done!"

"Thank you very much, sir," the young mother spoke and bowed before him. "You've been very helpful to us today. How can I ever pay you back?"

"No big deal, ma'am," he replied and grinned. "I just want to cheer little Akiko, that is. Besides, I don't have anything much to do for now, so I thought I might be helping other people just in case."

"Thank you for the ice cream again, big brother!" the girl spoke and smiled before walking away from him with the woman. "Bye, bye! I hope we can meet again, big brother!"

"And don't spill the ice cream on the road, okay?" Alex replied and waved back at them. He walked back to the bench and fetched the backpack before resuming his journey.

"Alex?"

He turned around and was in surprise when he saw the person who called him. "Miss Sion?"

The woman in purple clothes gasped when she saw him. "Alex! My goodness, what are you doing here?" she asked as she quickly approached him.

"I was just walking around here," he answered and put back the backpack on the pavement. "And helping unfortunate child getting back her ice cream. Well, I actually bought one for her."

"Damn, I never expected to see you here," Sion spoke and smiled. "I kinda miss you since you left Kiev. How good to see you here."

"Oh, really?" Alex spoke and laughed. "Did you miss me because I always treated you with ice cream? Or is it other way around?"

She scowled at him. "Hey, you're teasing me. Sheesh, I thought you'd change after travelling around the world."

He laughed again and scratched the back of his head. "So sorry, Miss Sion. I thought I'd still tease you like we used to at Kiev."

"Just as I thought, you don't change at all," the girl mumbled and pouted.

"Aw, come on, it's not that bad to be teased by a friend," he uttered.

x-x

"So, you decide to take a break from your travel, huh?" Sion asked, as she and Alex walked down the downhill road. "That's good for you, since you must've been tired from all the travelling."

"Well, actually, I've gone to many places and there's nothing for me to visit," Alex told and took a bit of the ice cream.

Sion glanced at him. "Are you telling me you've travelled around the world already? Wow, I've never met a man dedicated so much to travelling. Are you a wanderer or something, Alex?"

Alex chuckled at the comment. "I'm not qualified as a Wanderer, Miss Sion. Not yet," he spoke and continued eating the ice cream. "Well, you know, for someone who has travelled around the world for too long, the person must take a break at least. Don't you agree?"

"Now you're talking like a philosopher," Sion spoke and playfully elbowed him. "You're weird sometimes. I wonder whether you manage to make a few friends from your travels."

"Not much," he spoke and stared up at the sky, "I prefer to walk around alone, watching the people from faraway and not interfering with their affairs."

"An understatement, I believe," Sion insisted and ate the ice cream he bought for her. "Then what about the one standing beside you right now? You never said you're going to abandon the person alone, aren't you?"

He glanced at him in a teasing sight. "Are you giving me some kind of hint, Miss Sion?" he asked, staring at her soon-to-blush face.

"Stop teasing me, will you?" she demanded and elbowed him. Alex swiftly evaded the attack and jumped to her left. "Hey! Stop acting like a kid, will you? The people are watching at us."

"Oh, come on. We're friends, aren't we? There's nothing wrong for me to tease you," he insisted and playfully stared at her more flushed face.

"Friends or not, you're making me embarrassed!" she cried and chased him down the road. "Come back here, black feather! You're messing with the Atlasian alchemist!"

"Hah! Whoever reaches the finishing line last will have to make today's dinner!" he shouted and sped up. "Try to outrun me if you can, Miss Sion!"

"Don't underestimate me, Alex!"

x-x-x-x-x

"Sir, are you sure we still have to go after him? I mean, after these passing years, he should've forgotten the mistakes he had done."

"Sinners are sinners, and it is our duty as the Judges to clean this world from these kinds of people."

"But sir, why we have to wait until this day? Why don't we just punish him on the very first day?"

"He had people behind him when we first met him. But as time passes by, he began to isolate himself from the society and roams the ground as a lone wolf. And besides…"

"And besides?"

"We have a perfect bait for this task."

"I see."

"Well, my comrade, spare me some privacy. I need to ease off my mind for a while."

"Yes, sir."

The soldier walked out of the office, leaving the mid-40's man alone. The man in the crimson-red knight uniform folded his arms and grinned, occasionally rubbing his mid-length beard. "Heh, just you wait, lone wolf… your judgment will come upon you. You can no longer escape from the Judges."

"So, what do you think," the man spoke, noticing the presence of a young woman inside the office, "of the soon-to-come judgment day? Of course, I expect nothing much from you regarding this matter."

"I have no comment about the event, sir," calmly the woman spoke.

The man grinned. "As expected from the one who once lived with the wolf. Very well, you know your task already, don't you? Now go, time awaits no one."

"Understood, sir."

The young woman in dark blue robe walked out of the room, again leaving the man alone. He glanced at her for a moment before closed eyes and grinned. "Soon… everything will come to an end. Very soon…"


	2. Chapter 02: Ordinal of the Blues

**Heart of the Melting Blood  
****The Moonlight Legend **

**Written by:** Lone Wolf NEO  
**Conceived by:** Lone Wolf NEO

**Disclaimer:** Lone Wolf NEO does not own any of TYPE MOON titles, Guilty Gear or any of the games, anime, movies, books and the like that are the property of other people. All original characters in this story are his creations and property. All insert characters are copyright or owned by their respective represented real-life entities. The author would appreciate it if the content of this story isn't plagiarized without his permission.

**For new readers:** the setting is in the timeline after the events of _Shingetsusan Tsukihime, FATE/Stay Night and Melty Blood_. This is the sequel to the earlier instalment of _Heart of Melting Blood RELOADED_, and runs roughly in parallel with Sheo Darren's _The World Within and Without_. Please refer to the two stories for background information.

**Chapter 02  
****Ordinal Of The Blues **

"This has to be the most unexpected day I've ever had," Alex commented as he and the residents of the Tohno Mansion were having dinner. "I just arrived here as a traveller, and now I'm being treated like I'm a VIP or something. I didn't remember anything about staying at someone else's house, but Miss Sion's been asking me to come here."

"At least you get to stay here for a night," Shiki spoke and ate the meal. "But, hey! You did come to visit us, after all. That's a good news for us, though it's out of the blues."

"Like I said earlier, I'm a traveller, and I don't plan to stay here for long," Alex said and looked around him. "I'm not really into this kind of traditions. I mean…"

"Now, now, Mister Alex," Arcueid uttered and took a bite of the bacon, "you should, at least, take your time and have a tour around this town. It's going to be exciting if you could stay for a bit longer, especially when your special person is here," she spoke and slyly glanced at the embarrassed Sion.

"Arcueid, I've told you not to misact in front of the guest, didn't I?" Shiki asked. Arcueid glanced at him and stuck out her tongue before continued eating her meal.

"Be grateful to have us welcoming you, Mister Hahn," Akiha spoke and put down the teacup. "It'd be troublesome for foreigners like you to stay elsewhere at the town."

Shiki coughed. "Akiha, you're scaring our guest." Akiha growled at her brother, protesting what he had said to her. Shiki insisted her to pay respect to the guest, and the girl protested him for acting nanny-ish.

Alex watched at the quarrelling siblings and chuckled. "For the ones who are proudly allied with the Author, or so I've heard, you guys are simply amusing," he commented.

Arcueid merely sighed. "You can see with your own eyes, Mister Alex. This is what we are when we have nothing else to do," she spoke and shrugged.

"Really?" he uttered.

"Oh, by the way," Arcueid continued and glanced at him, "don't ever listen to whatever Ciel says when you talk with her. All she speaks is nothing but craps."

Alex could only laugh at the comment. "That isn't the best thing I want to hear, Miss Arcueid."

"Oh, yes." Shiki spoke and cut off the argument he had with Akiha. "Hisui will show you the room you're going to use after dinner. Got it, Hisui?"

Hisui nodded. "Yes, Shiki-_sama_."

"Now, now, you guys don't have to be nice toward me. I don't want to be a burden in this house, actually," Alex insisted.

Arcueid foxily chuckled. "Is it because Sion is inside this house, Mister Alex? We already know the affair both of you have, what's to be embarrassed of?"

Sion snapped. "Arcueid, we don't have any affairs! Who told you about that!?" she cried aloud.

"Come on. We know you're madly in love with him," Arcueid insisted, as a pair of cat's ears popped on her head. "And since Lone Wolf already approved your relationship, why don't you go a step _further_?"

"Stop it, Arcueid! You're in trouble for messing with the Atlasian alchemist," Sion growled and pulled out lasso from her wristband.

"Aw, our Mistress Sion is too shy to admit! _Nya_!" the True Ancestor squealed and ran away from the table, as Sion lost her temper and chased her around the dining hall. Alex could only shake his head in amazement to watch the cat-and-mouse chase.

"Anyway, Mister Alex, Hisui will show you the room you'll stay in after dinner," Shiki spoke as he finished his meal.

"A good idea, Mister Shiki," Alex spoke and cracked his neck, "I'm kind of tired after walking around the world for too long. I think I need a break for a day or two."

"I think it's best for you to stay here longer," Akiha suggested, "like Arcueid said earlier, you could take your time and walk around Misaki Town. Well, if Sion agrees to take the role of tour guide."

"Why are you suddenly suggesting my name, Akiha?!" Sion yelled out. Simultaneously the people laughed at her who became more embarrassed. Alex muffled, trying to suppress his laughter. "Alex, not even you?!"

x-x

"Please, Alex-_sama_, this way," Hisui spoke, as the two of them walked toward the end of the corridor. Alex nodded and followed her from the behind, slinging the medium-sized sports bag over his shoulder.

"Heh, I never thought I'd end up at place like this," he commented and looked around him. "I used to stay at the outside whenever possible, you know. I'm not the kind of people who would have proper accommodations unless if I have to."

"You're the guest of this house, so it's our responsibility to keep you comfortable," Hisui calmly spoke. "It's been our tradition for treating guests as if they're member of the family."

"I never heard the kind of tradition before," he said in amusement. "Well, not that I'm against traditions; I'm just not used to formality."

"I see," Hisui replied.

The two people arrived at the end of the alley and faced a door. "This is your room, Alex-_sama_. Please make yourself at home," she spoke as she walked into the room.

Alex nodded and entered the room. "Well, Miss Hisui, thank you for the kindly help," he spoke.

Hisui frowned, her face stained with the faint colour of rose. "Please, Alex-_sama_, I feel so uncomfortable with the suffix."

"Well, I'll just call your name only if you're willing to drop the –_sama_ off my name," he insisted.

She seemed reluctant. "But I…"

He chuckled at the response. "Ow, come on. It's not that degrading, really. Right, what if I drop the suffixes from everyone else's names? I'm sure you won't feel degraded anymore. What do you say?"

_"H… haii, _Alex_-san…"_ reluctantly she answered. She later took a bow and walked out of the room. "Oh, Alex-_san_, please let me know if you need anything. I'll be glad to help you."

Alex nodded. "Will do."

"_Oyasuminasai_, Alex-_san_." Again, Hisui took a bow and left the room. Alex waved at the housemaid before started arranging stuffs.

He saw a picture frame on the desk. Curious, he approached the desk and took the frame. He chuckled. "So much for everything to happen in the past… heh, I wish I could bring back everything…" he whispered and put back the frame on the desk.

x-x-x-x-x

The Holy Grail. A sacred item searched by many, and desired by all. An item whose holder has the power to grant a wish of all kinds. An item so precious that seven sorcerers and their servants had been fighting over it for hundreds of years. An item so alluring that a War broke out and almost brought fate to its end.

It was said that the servants chosen for the War were legendary heroes in the history of mankind, bearing the "True Names" that struck fear in the hearts of those who never meet them. The servants also possessed a special weapon, all called by one name: the Noble Phantasm. It had the power to instantly kill their opponents, but Servants rarely used this weapon as they would be in disadvantage if it failed to hit its target or was seen by another enemy.

This is a war fought in secrecy, away from the knowledge of humankind. It is a war where no one knew how it took place, or why it happened. It is a dream battle between the strongest human figures to live on the earth, in which the power of their legendary counterparts is contained, waiting to be unleashed at the right moment.

"Saber?" The blonde-headed girl was startled and turned around, noticing the sight of a man standing next to her. "I saw you sitting here alone. Something bothering you?"

"No, nothing wrong," she replied and corrected her hair. "I'm just watching the stars."

"I never thought to see a Servant actually doing nothing," Shirou uttered and took a seat beside her.

"Say, Shirou," Saber called him after a long period of silence and gazed at the night sky, "it's been a long time since you summoned me, and we've faced many things together. But I don't think we actually…"

He glanced at her, noticing a slight blush upon her face. "Heh, don't tell me you want to go out with me for a date? Come on, you already know you've bee waiting for that."

"Not _that kind_ of date, you jerk," Saber replied and teasingly elbowed him. Shirou laughed at the response and parried the elbow strike, much to her dismay.

"Now, now, that you said going out for a date," he spoke and patted her shoulder, "why don't we visit Misaki Town this weekend? It's been a while since we went there. Let's call it a day off. What do you say?"

The servant stared at her master, and smiled. "Sure."

x-x-x-x-x

He woke up, stirred by the intense sunlight that was heating over his face. Bewilderment took over when he looked around, as he found himself in a region unknown to him. Everywhere he looked, he could see the sights of strange creatures roaming the area lively, unaware of what was taking place around them. Puzzled, he put a hand on his forehead, trying to figure out what happened to him.

"Good morning, sir." He turned around and saw the angel he had met before walking toward him. "Oh, I was glad to see you alright. I thought you'd still be sleeping for another couple of days."

"Owh…" he groaned, shaking his head wildly. "My head…"

"Please, don't move around too much," she begged and put back his hand on his lap. "You still haven't recovered from injuries, so please rest yourself, okay?"

Ignoring the headache, Alex looked around the area in intrigue. "Just… what is this place?"

"The Devil's Living Place," the woman named Dizzy spoke and took a seat beside him, "at least, that's what my foster parents told me when they sent me here."

Alex stared at her in surprise. "They did what? For God's sake, didn't they know that you're just a helpless woman?"

Dizzy frowned, clutching her satin black gown. "The people… everyone at the village was afraid of me… because they said that I'm a…"

"A what?"

Trying to suppress her tears, Dizzy said out the word which would startle him for the second time. "I'm… I'm a Gear."

x-x

Alex opened his eyes. He was lying on the bed, and was staring at the ceiling. "Good riddance, not the kind of dream I want to have…" he grumbled and rested his arm upon his forehead. "Now my sleep's killed. What am I supposed to do now?" He shrugged and jumped off the bed, headed toward the window. "The moon's clear tonight. Now to appreciate its beauty to its fullest…"

He hastened to open the window and looked up. Nodding, he jumped out, landed on a nearby tree and hopped onto the roof. A clean landing was done, and he took seat on the rooftop, gazing at the full moon.

"Can't sleep?" He turned around and saw a woman in black uniform landing next to him.

"Miss Ciel, I presume," he pronounced the name.

"Oh, my. If it isn't the lone wolf Alexander Hahn," Ciel responded with delight and sat beside him. "What has brought you to this town? I never thought to see someone other than Lone Wolf-_kun_ to come here."

"I'm just taking a break from my travels," he answered and gazed back at the moon. "I've been travelling around the world for too long, and I kind of missed the people I had met at Kiev."

"It's surely exciting to walk around the world out there, isn't it Alex-_kun_?" the Vatican agent asked.

"It surely is," he answered. "Especially when we get to see the smiling face of the children. Not that I don't like being an adult, but spending time with those kids brings back memories of the past. By the way, what are you doing here, Miss Ciel?"

Again, she chuckled and ran her hand through her hair. "Nothing, I'm just walking around here when I saw you jumping to the roof. I thought I could spend my time with you, so I came over."

"Heh. Don't tell me you're going to watch over me," he half-jokingly replied and took out the harmonica.

"Oh, my. I never thought you actually guessed it right," she remarked in surprise. She watched in wonder, as Alex started playing the harmonica tunes of _Boom Town Blues_. "Well, you're partially right. Lone Wolf-_kun_ and his company asked me to watch over you if you happened to come here, because he thought you might need someone to help."

"The Author's concerned of me, huh?" he uttered as he stopped playing the song. "Then what about the other half? You mentioned partially, so…"

Ciel chuckled. "Why don't you keep playing the song? I kind of want to hear it already."

"Miss Sion is going to kill me when she sees us like this," he replied and continued the song. She chuckled and gazed at the moon, enjoying the song the black feather played.

x-x-x-x-x

The woman in satin black gown hair gazed at the moon, accompanied by nothing but the night breeze that gently blew against her face. She was sitting outside the countryside cottage, privately enjoying the scenery. Her azure hair, tied in bunches with yellow ribbons, were flapping to the rhythm of the wind, enhancing her untouched beauty by one margin. It was if she was angel of the night, sent to watch over the sleeping beings.

Her head stooped, as she gazed at a pair of paper cranes in black and white on her lap. Carefully she took the white crane and stared at it. "I wish I could meet the person who taught me this…" she whispered and brought it close to her chest.


	3. Chapter 03: Encounter of Another Kind

**Heart of the Melting Blood   
The Moonlight Legend **

**Written by:** Lone Wolf NEO   
**Conceived by:** Lone Wolf NEO

**Disclaimer:** Lone Wolf NEO does not own any of TYPE MOON titles, Guilty Gear or any of the games, anime, movies, books and the like that are the property of other people. All original characters in this story are his creations and property. All insert characters are copyright or owned by their respective represented real-life entities. The author would appreciate it if the content of this story isn't plagiarized without his permission.

**For new readers:** the setting is in the timeline after the events of _Shingetsusan Tsukihime, FATE/Stay Night and Melty Blood_. This is the sequel to the earlier instalment of _Heart of Melting Blood RELOADED_, and runs roughly in parallel with Sheo Darren's _The World Within and Without_. Please refer to the two stories for background information.

**Chapter 03   
Encounter of Another Kind **

The golden ray of the sun pierced through the curtains, waking Alex from his sleep. Stirred, he covered his eyes, lazily woke up from the bed and walked toward the window. "It's morning," he whispered and stared outside the window. Admiring the beauty of the morning glory for a while, he shrugged and walked toward the bathroom. Just then, he was greeted by Hisui who was carrying meal into the room. "Well, at least you could've knocked the door, Hisui," he uttered and chuckled.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know you're going to take a bath," the housemaid apologized.

"Now, now, you don't have to apologize," he uttered. "So what's for breakfast? I bet it'd be something worth cooking."

"Bacon and fried egg," she spoke and walked toward the table. "Please serve yourself while it's still hot, Alex-_san_."

"No problem, and thanks for cooking the meal," he uttered. Hisui just bowed in response and walked out of the room, leaving him with the meal. He chuckled and approached the table. "Heh, the first proper meal I have in a while," he uttered. _"Itadakimasu." _

He felt his pants being pulled. Intrigued, Alex turned around and could only smile at what he saw. "Why, hello there," he spoke and chuckled. "Let me guess. You're Ren, right? Good to see you." Ren just smiled and took a seat beside him. She pointed at the breakfast and pulled his sleeve. "What is it, Ren? You want some?" The girl nodded and took a piece of the bacon. Alex just watched, as she bit it and smiled in gratitude.

He muted. The memory he had with the woman he called Hikaru reappeared. The vivid image of the woman flashed back in his mind, knocking and teasing every door of his remembrance. Not only her, but also the children he met and befriended at the solitude village before the tragedy struck.

Again, he felt his sleeves being pulled. He glanced at Ren, noticing that she was staring at him in droopy eyes. He could only chuckle and softly patted her head. "You think I'm sad, huh? Well, sorry for that. I'm being emotional sometimes; but don't worry about that. Okay?" he assured.

Ren just nodded and smiled.

"Anyway, I think I must excuse self. I got to finish my breakfast and take shower after this," he told her, "so can you spare me some privacy, Ren?"

Ren nodded and jumped off the chair. She playfully approached the door and waved at him before walked out of the room.

x-x

"Good morning, everyone," he greeted as he walked into the living room.

"Ah, good morning, Alex-_san_," Hisui replied. "I can only hope you enjoy the meal I made."

"I did. That was my first proper breakfast in a while," he spoke and showed her a thumb up. "This is what I can say for now."

Hisui blushed. "Th-thank you, Alex-_san_… I'm so glad to hear that" she replied and frowned.

"No one can beat Hisui-_chan_ when it comes to cooking," along came Kohaku's voice as the woman approached her twin sister. "She's the best cook you can rely on."

"Miss… Kohaku, right?" Alex asked in a guessing tone.

"Aw, please, you can call me Hisui," she replied and laughed.

Alex just laughed and scratched the back of his head. "Well, I'm sorry for that. I can't keep myself from being formal with people."

"And so," Kohaku uttered, a foxily grin carved upon her face, "I bet that you're waking up early because you planned to take Sion for a date. _Right_?"

He coughed. "I wouldn't ask that if I were you, Kohaku. And I don't think the idea of a girl dating a strange guy she met by chance straightaway is appropriate at the-"

Kohaku chuckled. "And yet we already know how close both you and Sion-_chan_ are," and she made apostrophe signs with her fingers at the word "close." Alex could only laugh in embarrassment, not noticing that Sion was already standing behind him, lasso pulled out.

"Alex…" she called out his name, her voice filled with murder, "then you don't want to take me for a date? You know messing with Atlasian alchemist is a no-no, don't you?"

Silent. The twin housemaids, the purple alchemist and the former soldier were glued on their place. "I almost forgot; I thin I left something at my room," the latter uttered and quickly rushed back to his room. Sion growled in dismay and yelled at him yet he was already at the upper floor to hear her.

"Geez, what's with him today?" she complained.

"Now, now, Alex-_san_ just wants to be friendly toward us," Kohaku told her and giggled. Sion glowered at the maid, her eyes burning in anger, as if she was telling her to stay away from him. "You know, those outwardly-tough-but-inwardly-soft types."

"Are you trying to…" She gasped in surprise when Arcueid suddenly tackled and groped her. "St-stop it, Arcueid! What the hell are you doing?!"

"Aw, Sion-_chan_ is too embarrassed to speak with Alex," Arcueid squealed and tightened her grope. "Come on, why don't you be more open with him?"

"Arcueid, stop groping me!" she cried and furiously blushed at the increased pace of the "massage".

"Booyah! I won't stop it until you say you want to date Alex," Arcueid teased, as a pair of cats ears popped on her head. "Come on! Say it! say it!"

Sion snapped in anger and pushed the True Ancestor away. "That's it! You're humiliating me! I shall not spare you anything at all," she declared and loaded her handgun.

"Aw, our mistress Sion is too shy to admit. _Nya_!" she mocked and stuck out her tongue. "Piidah!"

"What's going on here?" along came Shiki's voice, as he and Akiha walked out of the reading room. A medium-sized sweat popped on his head when he saw the cat-and-mouse chase. "Arcueid, Sion, stop it," he demanded and folded his arms, "both of you are embarrassing yourself in front of Alex. Stop acting like kids, and behave."

"But Shiki, Arcueid groped me!" Sion cried and pointed at Arcueid's face in despise. "She… she… she was trying to embarrass me in front of Alex!"

Shiki glared at the pretentious Arcueid. "Were you, Arcueid?"

"Aw, did I?" she declined and foxily laughed, much to Sion's dismay. "I was just telling her to admit her feeling. Was that wrong?"

Shiki coughed and corrected his eyeglasses. "But that doesn't mean you can't…"

"Can't I?" Arcueid asked and gave the scion of the Tohno family the feared "Bambi eyes." Shiki tried to resist the temptation of the cutely gaze she gave and backed away from the True Ancestor. Beside him, Akiha grumbled and elbowed him on the midsection.

"_Oniisan_, now you're disgracing yourself," she insisted.

"But Akiha…!" Shiki replied in protest.

Just then, Alex walked down the stairs and headed toward the living room. "Guys, I think I should take a tour around the city. Will any of you…" He muted. What he saw was not he had expected, and he would not like to comment on it. "Guys, I don't this is the best time to argue over this matter, so…"

"BUT WE DO!" the rest of them yelled and continued their argument. Alex just shrugged and excused himself when Sion seized him on the arm.

"You're not going anywhere, Alex," the purple alchemist growled.

He gulped at the murderous sight of Sion. "Err… what did I do?"

"You're the reason behind all these!" she growled and tightly hugged his arm. "I don't want to be embarrassed in front of you!"

Again, Arcueid laughed and pointed at Sion's embarrassed face. "Aw, our Mistress Sion now goes boo-boo. I'm so jealous," she mocked. Sion hissed in annoyance at the mock and withdrew her handgun.

"Oh, great. When I expected today to be a bit peaceful…" Alex uttered and sighed.

x-x-x-x-x

It was an exciting day for Alex, as he had managed to persuade Sion to become his guide tour. The reason was quite simple: Shiki suggested that the two of them should go along together and not bother what the people think about them. Thinking that it was an opportunity for the two of them to know each other better, they were suggested to go out as a couple, which was overseen by Arcueid as a perfect chance in 'encouraging' the twos.

"I don't mind if I have to take you for a tour," Sion spoke as the three of them walked down the street, "but why must you let Arcueid tag with us? And why must you buy her ice cream?"

"Come on. It's not that bad to have her accompanying us," he insisted and warily glanced at Arcueid who was enjoying ice cream. "Well, I think she won't be a bother if we can keep her busy with ice cream."

"But I don't want to!" Sion cried and quickly seized his arm. "I don't want her to… to… I don't want her to do that again! She's trying to harass me!"

Alex laughed at her childish response and patted her head. "You know, the way you behave clearly shows that you're more like a sister than a girlfriend."

"Hey, watch it!" she squealed and roughly elbowed him. Alex swiftly evaded the attack and jumped away from her and opened a defensive stance. "Tease me again, and no ice cream for you, Mister Alex."

"Ow, Miss Sion doesn't want to buy me ice cream," he replied and made a pouting face.

She lost her patience and pulled out the lasso. "Alex…! Come back here, you…!"

Arcueid laughed at the couple and continued eating the ice cream when she saw two people walking toward them. "Aren't those…"

"Arcueid?" Saber spoke out the name in surprise.

"Saber?" Arcueid replied in excitement approached the couple. "Hey, it's really you! Good riddance, what are you two doing here?"

"What do you expect to see from us, Arcueid? We're visiting this town," the blonde girl answered and laughed. "And what are you guys doing here anyway?"

"We're having a tour," Arcueid answered and pointed to Alex who was evading Sion's overhead kick. "We have a new guy in the house; an ex-acquaintance of our old buddy Kiba."

Saber and Shirou watched at the 'quarrelling' couple. "Okay, I know this doesn't sound right, but what are they fighting of?" Saber asked.

"Well, Alex is asked by his 'girlfriend' to behave or he won't have ice cream," Arcueid told them and highlighted the word _girlfriend_ with her hand sign. "I mean, Sion-_chan_ is already in love with Alex, and yet she refuses to admit it. What a grief."

"ARCUEID!" Sion yelled at her.

"See? I've told you so," the True Ancestor answered and shrugged in amusement. "So, Saber, Shirou, what are you planning to do next…?"

_"Oniichan!"_ A pair of lithe arms seized Shirou's arms from the behind, as Illiyafiel playfully tackle-hugged the man. "I've found you, _oniichan_!"

Shirou choked from the tight glomp the young girl made. "Illiya-_chan_! Don't do that again!" he gasped and tried to flee from the cutely embrace of death.

x-x

There she was, on top of the tower that stood proudly in the center of the town, gazing down at the people below her. Covered in the dark blue robe, and holding a spear in her hand, she was staring at the scene down under for a while, as if she was a guardian sent to watch the earth. Her golden eyes were burning in passion, as if she was foreseeing an upcoming future.

"Mistress." She did not respond to the call, as a group of people appeared from the thin air and stood not far behind her. "The commander has issued us to take your order from now on. You are now our leader."

The woman chuckled. "Even the Six Great Judges are now joining me. Why would he sit behind the scene and send in his best elites?"

"At least, you aren't alone in this wolf-hunting season, Mistress," a person who carried a huge axe spoke. "But commander says that it's up to you to let us help you. We are merely following his orders."

The woman merely breathed out and positioned the spear in a standing position. "I cannot help it when it's a request from the commander himself. Very well. Rage."

"Yes, Mistress," the axe-wielding person replied and grinned.

"Echo."

_"Haii,"_ a young girl in monk uniform calmly answered and resumed her prayers.

"Longbow."

The man whose battle crossbow was holstered on his shoulder laughed. "I'm here, milady. I'm always here."

"Spike."

A man in with goatee and a rapier walked forward and tossed a red rose to the woman. She fetched the rose and sniffed it in admiration. "You are as beautiful as the flower, my lady. The flower is only for you." She giggled to hear the man's speech and tossed the air. In the blink of an eye, the flower was sliced into tiny pieces as a metal blade suddenly cut through the air. The man from earlier was startled and grumbled at the newcomer.

"Put the argument aside, Spike. And please don't surprise the people with that entry, Blaze."

The person in dark ninja suit landed on his feet and bowed before her. "Forgive me for my rudeness, _ojousama_," he spoke and jumped toward the group.

The woman stooped her head. "It seems that someone from among you is missing. Where is he?"

_"Ojousama,"_ the little girl called her and lowered her praying hands, "Lens-_sama_ asked me to convey his message. He's unable to join us in this meeting because he's occupied with his task."

The man with the goatee snorted. "Again? He must be building another defunct machine. When he will ever learn, that Lens?"

"Silence, Spike. You're disgracing the Mistress," Rage insisted. "And now isn't the time to argue over this matter."

"It doesn't matter, because with the Six Great Judges here, the lone wolf shall never escape his judgment day," the woman in robe answered and turned to them. Her golden eyes sparkled brightly as she calmly gazed at them.

"Let us begin."


	4. Chapter 04: Whisper of Heart

**Heart of the Melting Blood   
The Moonlight Legend **

**Written by:** Lone Wolf NEO   
**Conceived by:** Lone Wolf NEO

**Disclaimer:** Lone Wolf NEO does not own any of TYPE MOON titles, Guilty Gear or any of the games, anime, movies, books and the like that are the property of other people. All original characters in this story are his creations and property. All insert characters are copyright or owned by their respective represented real-life entities. The author would appreciate it if the content of this story isn't plagiarized without his permission.

**For new readers:** the setting is in the timeline after the events of _Shingetsusan Tsukihime, FATE/Stay Night and Melty Blood_. This is the sequel to the earlier instalment of _Heart of Melting Blood RELOADED_, and runs roughly in parallel with Sheo Darren's _The World Within and Without_. Please refer to the two stories for background information.

**Chapter 04   
Whisper of Heart **

"Eh? So you're a friend of the Author who is also a friend of Arcueid?" Saber asked, as the group was having ice cream at a nearby café. "We never thought to see a strong and interesting ally as you are, Alex-_san_."

"I never thought of myself as an ally of everyone," Alex spoke and took a dip of the float. "I just do whatever I think is right. Well, for the most of the time, that's what I've been doing."

"Tell us what you've been doing along this time," Saber asked again. "A person like you must have something interesting to share, at least."

"For the most of time," he uttered and took another scoop of the float, "I travel from place to place, watching people who live there, and getting to know them up close and personal. And…"

"And in the end you return to your beloved one," Arcueid replied and foxily chuckled. Sion snapped in embarrassment and withdrew her lasso, snarling at the True Ancestor along. "Aw, come on. You know you already love him, don't you Sion-_chan_?"

"Don't try me…!" Sion warned.

"Who wants to try you? _Nya_!" Arcueid replied and jumped off the seat, as Sion pounced at her. "Boo hoo! You can never catch me! _Nya_!"

Alex just laughed at the twos who ran inside the café and continues having his float when Illiya stared at him. "You're Illiya, right? What is it do you want?" he asked.

"_Oniichan_, is it true that you and Sion-_oneechan_ like each other?" the young girl asked.

Alex coughed and stared at her. "Don't tell me that Arcueid told you about that," he uttered, smiling uneasily at her.

Illiya just giggled and continued staring at him. "Nothing. I'm just curious at strangers like you," she spoke and smiled. "So, what really brings you to this city, _oniichan_?"

"First of all, can you stop calling me _oniichan_? It sounds degrading," Alex pleaded with an uneasy expression upon his face.

"_Mou_, when I thought I could be friendly with you," Illiya mumbled and made her pouting face.

"Please forgive her, Alex-_san_," Shirou spoke. "She has a habit of calling anyone older than her _oniichan_ or _oneechan_. Even us are called with the suffixes."

Alex just shrugged. "I see. Well, Illiya," he called her and smiled, "I guess you can call me with whatever you want to. In return…"

The girl's eyes sparkled. "In return?"

Alex looked around and took a piece of paper next to him. Saber, Shirou and Illiya watched in intrigue as he made something out of the paper. "There. It's done," he declared and put the finished product in front of him.

_"Kawaii!"_ Illiya cried and took the paper crane. "This is the cutest thing I've ever seen in my life. Where did you learn making this, _oniichan_?"

"Self-learning, I guess," Alex told her and made another paper crane. "This is what I usually do whenever I'm bored. Miss Saber, this is for you too."

Saber's eyes sparkled as she accepted the origami figure. "This is so beautiful. Thank you so much, Alex," she spoke and smiled.

"And as for you, Mister Shirou," he spoke and gave him yet another paper crane. "This is a token of my gratitude to know the three of you."

"You don't have to do this, Alex-_san_," Shirou insisted and took the paper crane. "But if this is for our friendship, I'll take it anyway."

"Hey! What about us?" Arcueid cried and got caught by Sion. "Hey! Stop chocking me, Sion! SION!" The purple alchemist ignored the plea and threatened her with her handgun.

Alex just laughed as he watched at the quarrelling duo. "Well, while they're busy arguing, why don't we use our time to talk a bit more?"

"That sounds good," Saber spoke and nodded.

"Yaay! Will you teach me how to make paper crane, _oniichan_?" Illiya asked.

x-x

"It's been a great day for us," Shirou spoke as the groups stood at a road junction. "I don't know whether we can meet again like this, but let's hope for the day like today to come in the future."

Alex chuckled at the statement and offered a handshake. "Friends, shall we?"

Shirou grinned and replied the hand gesture. "Friends, indeed."

The two men shook hands and grinned at each other in confident before they departed. Alex watched, as Illiya cheerfully waved at him and called out his name, and waved back at the girl. "Well, then, where are we headed next?" he asked as he approached Sion and Arcueid.

Arcueid just shrugged. "I don't know; it's yours to decide."

"Really? Then," and he looked around before pointed at a stationery shop, "let's go there. I want to buy something before we go back. what about you, Arcueid?"

"I'll pass," and she made a 'sorry' hand sign, "sorry, but I must catch up with my TV show. Later!" With that said, Arcueid ran down the road, waving at the couple all the way.

"Aw, when I thought the three of us could buy something together," Alex commented and glanced at Sion. "So, shall we go?"

The woman smiled and reached for his arm. "Umm."

Alex chuckled and walked toward the stationery shop, letting Sion cling onto him. "You know what?"

"What is it?" Sion asked while still clinging onto him.

"I'm thinking of looking for a part-time job. A freeloader can't always sit around and do nothing."

Sion giggled and tightly embraced his arm. "You should."

x-x

"What do you think of Arcueid's new friend?" Saber asked, as the trio walked back to Fuyuki Town.

"Alex, you say?" Shirou replied and scratched his chin. "He's just a regular guy to me. Nothing so special about him. Why did you ask?"

"Nothing," she said and stared at the paper crane she was holding, "but he's not the kind of guy we'd usually meet at the street. He looks so… intriguing."

"Because he's a friend of Arcueid's friend?" Shirou asked.

"I think he's more than that." She turned to him, noticing that he was staring at him with the 'what did you say?' look, and laughed. "Nothing, nothing at all. I'm just wondering what kind of guy Alex-_san_ is."

"Well, we can invite him to our place, if you want to," Shirou said. "He's kind of interesting to me."

Illiya giggled and hugged Shirou's arm. "But he's nowhere cool compared with _oniichan_. I mean, _oniichan_ has been fighting with us for a long time, while Alex-_oniichan_ is only a regular person," she spoke and tightly hugged the arm. "But…"

Shirou stared at the young girl. "But?"

Illiya smiled. "But Alex-_oniichan_ knows how to make paper crane. I want to learn from him. _Ne_, can we visit him again? I want to learn origami from him. Can we?"

Shirou laughed and patted her head. "Of course we can."

"Yaay!"

Saber merely chuckled at the twos and stared back at the paper crane. "Learn from him… huh?"

x-x-x-x-x

"The night is clear," Alex whispered as he stood next to the window. He was alone in the room, exhausted after a day-long of trip around the town. It had been planned that he and Sion would immediately return to the Tohno Residence after buying stuffs at the stationery shop, yet the rain that suddenly arrived at the town forced them to wait at the shop. Being teased by Arcueid for spending the time under the rain alone when they came home was troublesome, but being misunderstood by Akiko and her mother as a couple-in-love was another story. He laughed when he remembered how embarrassed Sion was when Akiko stated that she was in love with him.

"Heh. Time cannot be wasted for nothing," he uttered and jumped to the rooftop, landing perfectly on its edge. He looked around for a while, nodded, took out the harmonica and started playing the song of wind. Subsequently, the night's breeze gently blew against himself, flapping his outfit in rhythm to the song.

"That was so beautiful." He stopped playing the harmonica and turned around. He just grinned when he found out who was praising the song. "Oh, why do you stop? It's so lovely I want to hear it."

"Sorry, Miss Ciel, I thought you were someone else," he apologized.

The Vatican agent chuckled and walked toward him. "So, what is our lone wolf doing in the middle of the night with harmonica in hand?"

He shrugged and stared at the moon. "Just wasting my time by playing songs and watching the moon. Why? Are you expecting me to walk around the town at this hour?"

She just chuckled and corrected her eyeglasses. "Nothing, but that's a good idea. Why don't I take you for a quick trip around the town? Night is the best time to enjoy the scenery."

"I'd like to, but Miss Sion and Miss Arcueid already took me for a tour," he told her.

There was a disappointment emerged from her eyes when she heard the names. "I see. Maybe I had missed many things you were enjoying," she spoke and frowned.

"Aw, please don't be depressed, Miss Ciel," he insisted and scratched the back of his head. "Being left out doesn't mean you can't hear what I have to say."

Ciel giggled and approached him. "I'm sorry; I was just being sad." She, then, took a seat with him and together watched at the moon. "So what is it you want to tell me, Alex-_kun_?"

"Want to hear something interesting?" he started his talk, "I met this little girl named Akiko on the way home. She was grateful to meet me that time."

"Oh, really? How so?" she asked.

"She said she was happy because I bought her ice cream, and she even asked me to buy another one," he uttered and laughed. "Children; they never fail to fascinate people around them with their pure innocence."

She giggled. "Of course they are, because they are at their purest form."

"Maybe." Alex continued playing the harmonica, whilst Ciel listened to the song in full interest.

"By the way, Alex-_kun_," Ciel called him, promptly stopping his musical play. "Can I take a look at the harmonica for a moment? I'm wondering whether this thing holds memories of a certain person."

He chuckled at the request and handed over the harmonica to her. "A girl gave me the harmonica as a present. I tried not to accept it, because it was the only treasure she had," he spoke and gazed at the stars, "but then she insisted me to take it. You know what she said to me about the harmonica?"

"What did she say?"

"_'You must take this with you, because you like to entertain kids, right?'_ or so it is," he answered. "And… she told me that I can convey my heart's whispers to people with it. I don't really believe of that thing really works, but I guess it's better than nothing."

"Whisper of heart, huh?" the Vatican agent uttered.

x-x-x-x-x

At the place which was once and is still London.

A certain man in his late 20's with red headband and spiky hair was leaning against the wall. His ears were plugged with headphones, as he was busy listening to the songs of Queen. Beside him was a sword which was always mistaken as an oversized cigarette lighter. It was slightly raining at the city, and people could be seen running for shelter. The man, however, ignored the rain and kept on listening to his Discman, as if he was waiting for someone.

_"Gomen ne,_ Sol-_kun_."

He turned around and grumbled when he saw a girl around the age of 16 who was carrying a Hello Kitty backpack. "Damn it, you're late again," he mumbled. "You just wasted my 15 minutes of my life. I told you to use the alarm clock, didn't I?"

The girl shyly giggled and quickly approached him. "_Gomen_. I forgot to turn it on," she apologized.

He shrugged and took a sip of his Marlboro before he put it away. He glanced at the girl with a concerned look on his face. "I thought you'd throw the smoke away and said 'smoking isn't good for your health' or whatever," he uttered.

She giggled and playfully slapped his muscular arm. "Aw, Sol-_kun_ didn't remember what I said yesterday. Today, Sol-_kun_ is free to do whatever Sol-_kun_ wants to do."

The man shrugged and sipped the smoke, whilst the young girl contently stared at him. He ignored the girl and went into his thought, whilst continued to sip the Marlboro. Idle as he was, he later nodded to the familiar tune of the Bohemian Rhapsody and increased the volume of his headphones, tapping his feet along. The girl just stared at him for a while before ate a bread she bought at a cake shop nearby.

He grumbled. A memory he did not want to remember emerged in his mind. "Stupid," he mumbled and tapped the headband. "This is so stupid. Why it must be him, of all people? Damn it, now I have to deal with him and that scout boy…"

He felt his arm held and looked at the girl. The girl stared at him and asked, "What's the matter, Sol-_kun_?"

"Just stupid memory trying to get on the way," he uttered and put off the cigarette. "And some stupid guys who stand in the way when I don't want them to mess with."

She giggled and rested her head upon his arm. "Sol-_kun_ doesn't have to be mad at those people. Sol-_kun_ used to practice the 'when in doubt, Gun Flame' tactic whenever he's in trouble. So…"

"Whatever." He ignored the girl and took another sip of newly-lit cigarette. "Say, Kagura."

"_Nani_, Sol-_kun_?" the girl asked.

"Nothing. Nothing."

She giggled and snuggled into the warmth of his body, ignoring the rain which poured on the streets of London. "Sol-_kun_, you know you don't have to be secretive at me," she half-whispered.

He shrugged and stared at the night sky. "Don't have to be secretive… huh?"


	5. Chapter 05: Whisper of Blood

**Heart of the Melting Blood   
The Moonlight Legend **

**Written by:** Lone Wolf NEO   
**Conceived by:** Lone Wolf NEO

**Disclaimer:** Lone Wolf NEO does not own any of TYPE MOON titles, Guilty Gear or any of the games, anime, movies, books and the like that are the property of other people. All original characters in this story are his creations and property. All insert characters are copyright or owned by their respective represented real-life entities. The author would appreciate it if the content of this story isn't plagiarized without his permission.

**For new readers:** the setting is in the timeline after the events of _Shingetsusan Tsukihime, FATE/Stay Night and Melty Blood_. This is the sequel to the earlier instalment of _Heart of Melting Blood RELOADED_, and runs roughly in parallel with Sheo Darren's _The World Within and Without_. Please refer to the two stories for background information.

**Chapter 05   
Whisper of Blood **

She was there, sitting on the bench and gazing at the moon like what she did for the past few days. The paper cranes from days earlier were still there, albeit being put beside her.

"Can't sleep, Dizzy-_chan_?" She turned around and smiled at the sight of a young woman roughly around 18. "I saw you sitting outside, so I thought you might need someone to accompany you."

"Oh, Hotaru-_chan_. Please have a seat," she said and gave the young woman a seat next to her. She, then, glanced back at the moon as the firefly girl took a seat beside her. "Where's everybody?"

"Rock-_chan_ already slept a long time, as well as Ky," Hotaru told her. "I can't sleep because their snores are killing me."

Dizzy giggled and pulled Hotaru into her embrace. "Don't tell me that's an excuse to be with me alone," she said and enclosed her arms around her.

"Dizzy-_chan_, you're making me embarrassed," Hotaru replied as a faint trace of rose red stained her very face. Dizzy giggled and cuddled her, as if she was comforting her younger sister and hummed a lullaby. "_Ne_, Dizzy-_chan_."

"Yes?" she replied and stared at her calm face.

"I've always seen you watching at the moon lately, and you always have the paper cranes with you," she said and rested in Gear woman's embrace. "Well, I don't mind if you're enjoying the night, but what's with the paper cranes?"

"The paper cranes are my reminder of someone," she told her and continued cuddling her. "I have forgotten who the person was, but I always remember him whenever I see the paper cranes."

"Was he an important person to you, Dizzy-_chan_?" she asked.

She breathed out and held her hand. "I don't know, Hotaru-_chan_. But my heart's telling me that he is."

"_Ne_, Dizzy-_chan_," Hotaru called her again, "can you sing me the lullaby again? I kind of like it already."

She giggled and cuddled her closer before sang the lullaby for the second time. The firefly girl listened attentively to the lullaby and sulked into the sisterly warmth of the embrace. She fell asleep, much to the Gear woman's awe. "Aw, asleep already? How cute of you," she pondered and softly kissed her cheek.

She gazed back at the moon. "I wonder how the person is doing right now…"

x-x-x-x-x

"_Ohayou_, Alex-_san_," Hisui greeted as she saw Alex walking down the stairs. "You woke up early. Do you have errands to do this morning?"

"_Ohayou_, Hisui. I'm going out to the town today," he said. "A freeloader can't stay here forever without having something to do. If there's any job worthy to do, I'm taking it."

"Then please have your breakfast, Alex-_san_," she said.

"Oh, sure." He headed to the dining room, whilst Hisui closely followed him from the behind. He looked around him, noticing that the mansion is awfully quiet. "Where has everyone gone to?"

"Shiki-_sama_ and Akiha-_sama_ are gone for some errands outside the city. Arcueid-_sama_ and Sion-_sama_ left this house earlier this morning," she informed.

"That means you and Kohaku are left to watch over this house, huh?" he uttered. She nodded as to answer the question. "Oh, well. Looks like I'm going to be alone here for today."

His sleeve was pulled. Alex looked down and could only smile. "Hello, Ren, and good morning," he greeted and patted the girl's head. The girl giggled and let her head be patted by him. He turned to Hisui while pointing at Ren's face. "Has her taken her breakfast yet, Hisui?"

"Not yet, if I can remember correctly," she answered.

He smiled and turned back to Ren. "Then, would you like to have breakfast with _oniichan_, Ren?" The girl smiled at the offer and nodded.

x-x

"Thank you for the meal," Alex spoke and clapped his hands in relief. Ren followed suit and smiled widely. "Wow, that's one fine breakfast I have. Thanks for the meal again, Hisui."

"Oh, my. I'm so flattered to hear that, Alex-_san_," Hisui replied and smiled. "I'll be glad if you want to have some more meals right now."

"Nah, I'm stuffed right now," he told her and patted his tummy. "Besides, I have to go to the town for job seeking, or I'll forever be labelled as freeloader."

"Have you thought of what kind of job you're going to take, Alex-_san_?" Kohaku asked.

Alex stood up and walked toward the door. "I don't know, because I haven't thought of what job I'll take. Maybe I'll ask around for vacant jobs." He was about to step out when Ren rushed toward him and seized his arm. "What is it, Ren?"

"Oh, my. It seems that our Ren-_chan_ is attached to Alex-_san_ already," Kohaku commented and foxily laughed. "Shiki-_san_ doesn't want to see this if he were here."

Alex turned back and forth between the twin housemaid and the blue ribbon-wearing girl. The latter was staring deeply at him, expecting him to say something to her. "Hmm… you're trying to say that you want to come along with me?" Ren nodded and smiled at him. He just shrugged and patted her head. "Very well. I might buy something for you if I were to come home later, but I guess it's better to have you choosing whatever you want to. Right?"

"Aw, look at that. Alex-_san_ adores children so much," Kohaku spoke and giggled. Hisui just smiled at the comment and watched at the twos.

x-x-x-x-x

"This is not good," Alex uttered as he walked down the street with Ren. "There aren't any job vacancies at all places I went. Man, what am I going to do now?" He turned to his left, noticing that Ren was staring at him in worry. "Aw, what's wrong Ren? Are you worried that I might not be able to find a job in the end of the day?"

The girl shook her head, answering 'no' to the question. Alex laughed at the respond and patted her head. "Heh, just tell me that you are." The girl giggled and let her head be patted.

He turned around and looked at the shop lots. "Well, I guess we better keep looking. Are you with me, Ren?" The girl nodded and took his hand, as they walked to the lots.

"Oh, my. If it isn't Alexander-_san_." He watched at his back and was in surprise to see who was greeting him. "What a surprise to see you here."

"Oh. Good day, Amasawa-_san_," he greeted the woman. "And good day to you too, Akiko."

"_Konnichiwa_, _oniichan_," the little girl replied and bowed. "What are you doing here, and who is she?"

"Oh, you mean Ren?" Alex said and pushed Ren a bit forward. "She's my friend's little sister. She doesn't talk much, but she's pretty much friendly. Ren, this is Akiko."

Ren smiled at her and took a bow.

Akiko laughed. "_Imotou_? Aw, Alex-_oniichan_ has become so daring lately. The last time I met you, you were with Sion-_oneechan_ and both of you were so close that time," she said between her laughs. Alex cringed at the comment and tried miserably to laugh.

The woman just smiled and patted Akiko's head. "Please forgive Akiko. She likes to tease everyone; it's passed down to her from her father."

"No, no, it's fine with me," he replied. "I'm just surprised by how _friendly_ Akiko toward everyone is." Akiko laughed at the comment and seized Ren's hand, taking her for a dance.

"So, what is our ice cream _oniichan_ doing out here with Ren-_chan_?" she asked.

"First thing to be done: find a job, get a proper life, or I'll end up a freeloader for good," he told her.

"You're looking for a job, Alexander-_san_? Then you're in luck," the woman told him and smiled. "I think I know where you can find a place to work. In fact, this job is perfect for someone like you."

He stared at her in intrigue. The two girls stopped dancing and stared at her as well.

x-x

"You own this kindergarten?" Alex asked, as he walked into the area. "But to know that you actually work and own this place at the same time…"

"This place has been our family's heritage for years," Yuriko said as they walked toward the entrance door. "I'm supposed to inherit this kindergarten from my late grandfather, but I have been notified by the administrative office that this place is to be taken over by construction company. Unless I can prove them that this place is still operating, it will be closed in 3 days."

He didn't say anything. _This place must be precious to her_, he pondered and looked around him.

"Alexander-_san_, I'll prepare the paperwork for you," she said as she entered the office, "please, take your time and walk around this place. Is that alright with you?"

"I-I'm fine. Besides, I'll have to check this place anyway," he said.

"Well then," she spoke and closed the door.

He just breathed out and took a self-tour around the kindergarten. He never thought that such a humble place would exist beneath the busiest of town. He shrugged at the thought and walked down the corridor.

He walked past a classroom when he overheard a cry. Curious, he approached the door and saw a girl crying while being comforted by a boy. "Oh, my." He walked in and knelt beside them. "What's wrong, little one?"

"Ayu-_chan_ doesn't want to go home until she's finished with her work," the young boy told him and kept patting her. "But she can't do it properly, that's why she's crying."

"Lie! Yui-_kun_ promised to teach me how to make paper crane," the girl sobbed, "but Yui-_kun_ doesn't know either! Yui-_kun_ lied to me!"

Alex looked at the table and could only chuckle. "A paper crane isn't that hard to make," he said and took a piece of paper. "Ayu-_chan_, this is how a paper crane is made. Watch carefully." The girl stopped crying and watched at the work in interest. "It doesn't matter whether you can make or not; if you put all your efforts in it, altogether with your heart, everything is possible," he said and gave the finished product to her. "Here you go, Ayu-_chan_."

The girl's eyes sparkled. Excitedly she took the paper crane and deeply stared at it. The boy smiled as well and patted the girl, and asked him to make another paper crane. "I can make a lot of paper cranes if you want to."

"_Honto_? Then can you teach me how to make origami?" the girl asked, as a wide smile carved upon her face.

x-x

"The paperwork is complete," Yuriko said and handed over an envelope to him. "Read it thoroughly, and if you're satisfied with it, come over here tomorrow. You can start working right away after that."

"Thanks, I'll think of that," he said and took the envelope.

"Is _oniichan_ going to leave now?" Ayu asked and frowned. "I thought for sure you'll stay here for a bit longer. I want to learn more about origami from you, _oniichan_."

Alex just smiled and patted her head. "I'll come here again tomorrow. Then we can make a lot of paper cranes and other origami."

She stared at him. _"Yakusoku?" Promise? _

He nodded and hooked her index finger with his. "This is what people over here call yubikiri, right? Then I'll make one as well," he said. The girl smiled at him. Akiko laughed at the twos and teased Alex for being too nice toward kids.

He stood up and took Ren's hand. "Well, I'm going. I'll see you tomorrow, Amasawa-_san_."

"Alexander-_san_!" Yuriko called from faraway. He turned around and saw the woman waving at him, altogether with her daughter and the two children. "Thank you for teaching these kids how to make origami! I'm so grateful to meet a kind person like you."

He nodded and gave away a thumb up.

x-x-x-x-x

"This is a tiring day. I think I'm worn out right now," Alex sighed as he leaned against the bench. He glanced at Ren who was busy eating ice cream. "Oh well. Tomorrow, I'll start working at the kindergarten. I wonder what everyone will say about this."

Ren stopped eating the ice cream and looked to her left. "What is it, Ren?" he asked and glanced to the direction. He saw nothing at the area and shrugged. It was only a few seconds he felt an unusual flow in the air stream.

"CRAP!"

He seized Ren's body and jumped, as an axe smashed the bench and disrupted the surrounding air. He was brought rolling on the pavement and was hit by debris, yet he managed to keep Ren unharmed. The turbulence subsided after several seconds, leaving the park with debris and dust. He stood back, coughed and tried to fend off the flying debris when he saw the sight of an axe-carrying man walking toward him. He couldn't see the man's face and cursed the dust for blocking his sight.

"Heh, I thought for sure you'd fight back like what you were supposed to do, Lone Wolf."

He gasped. He knew the voice very well. Slowly he tried to open his eyes and gazed at the figure. "It's you!"

The muscular and well-built man frowned upon him and grinned. "Hmm? You know me? Have we met before, Lone Wolf? Or am I hearing something wrong right now?"

"Damn it! Logan, it's me, Alex!" he cried aloud.

"Logan? Who is Logan?" the man demanded and put down the axe. "If you're talking about me, then I'm the wrong person. The name is Rage, one of the Six Great Judges, and I'm entrusted to put down the holy punishment against you."

He cringed. "For God's sake, I'm your comrade in the Holy Orders! Didn't you remember me at all, Logan!" he screamed and patted his chest.

The man shook his head in amusement. "I should've told you who the Six Judges are, but the mistress prohibits me from doing me so. I'm only ordered to carry out the punishment, and the person it's YOU."

"What have I done wrong! I never remember anything about this kind of punishment! Logan, please tell me what's going on!" he demanded.

"Never call me with that name!" Rage shouted back and smashed the axe on the ground. Alex was knocked off by a turbulence created from the impact and crashed on the statue. Ren quickly ran toward him and shook his body, trying to wake him up. "The Logan you know had long died in the Holy Wars, and the one standing in front of you is now Rage, the strongest of the Six Judges. Prepare for your judgment day, Lone Wolf!" He lifted the axe and spun it in his hands, creating wind vortex that affected the area. Ren cried in dismay and clung onto his arm.

Alex managed to open his eyes when he saw the attack's pattern. "Shoot! That's the area-affect attack!" He seized Ren's body and jumped away before Rage smashed the axe on the ground, avoiding the created turbulence that completely destroyed the statue.

"Che, you managed to evade my attack," Rage commented and holstered the axe on his shoulder. "As expected from the illusive lone wolf of holy orders, who was respected by a few and envied by many. But I doubt that you're going to win this battle if it's the Six Judges you're dealing with."

"Logan, stop doing this!" he screamed.

"Do not call me Logan!" Rage screamed and smashed the ground next to Alex. He jumped away from the attack and landed far from Rage, yet he was hit by a slipstream, causing him to lose balance and crash instead. Rage laughed and turned around to face him. "What's the matter, Lone Wolf? Are you afraid to fight me because I'm the Judge, or is it because your skill has begun to rust?"

"Logan, don't do this…!" he demanded and put his hand on his injured arm. "I don't know what grudge I have against you, but don't do this!"

"Hah! Do I really have to listen to a wolf weakened by his past?" Rage replied and pointed to his face. "Let me tell you something, Lone Wolf. Your existence in the Holy Order is nothing but-"

His words were cut off when a couple of blades landed before him. Both of them looked up and saw a figure silhouetted by the moon floating in the air and landed next to Alex. "Miss… Ciel?"

"Let me handle this, Alex-_kun_," Ciel told him and opened her stance. "Run from this place as far as you can with Ren-_chan_. You're in no position to fight anyone right now."

"But Miss Ciel, you…"

"Just go!" she screamed. Alex tried to object before he gave up and fled from the scene with Ren.

"Heh, when I thought I could personally fight with Lone Wolf," Rage spoke and opened a stance. "But whatever. An opponent like you must be worthy enough to face. May I first ask who you are, and what relation you have with Lone Wolf?"

Ciel took a deep breath and transformed into her Seven Heaven uniform. "Ciel, one of the agents from the Vatican Organization. I'm a friend of the Author and I'm entrusted to watch over Alex-_kun_."

"A Vatican agent, eh?" Rage uttered and grinned. "Let's see whether I can outwit you in no time."

She smiled at the comment and withdrew several Key Blades. "I'll be glad to."

x-x

He stopped running. "I think we're safe now," he uttered and cursed under his breath. "But why him of all people…? And who are these Six Great Judges he told me? What do they have against me…?"

Ren stepped closer to him, as if she was frightened by something. He looked at her and turned around, as a group of ninjas appeared from nowhere and surrounded him. "Damn, we're surrounded." He remained still, while letting Ren to cling onto him. "What are you guys up to with me this time?" he demanded.

"Under Mistress' direct order, we are hereby granted with permission to kill," the ninjas answered and withdrew their weapons. "Our target is you, so prepare for your execution."

Before he could react, one of the ninjas seized Ren and jumped away. He tried to chase the ninja when several of the newcomers stood on his way. "Let her go!" he screamed and jumped over the ninjas. "She has nothing to do with this! Let her go!"

One of the ninjas appeared behind him and delivered a hard slash on his back. Alex screamed in pain and fell to his knees, trying to endure the pain he received from the blow. The ninjas aimed their weapons and pounced at him, ignoring Ren's terrified cry.

"Pathetic."

He disappeared from sight and reappeared above them. The ninjas watched above him and immediately jumped toward him. The lone wolf grinned and pounced at one of the ninjas, overpowering him and taking his katana. He tossed the subdued ninja at his fellows, landed on the pavement and opened a stance.

"Get him!" The ninjas acknowledged the order and pounced at Alex for the second time. He gave out a low-sounding chuckle and disappeared from the ninjas' vision. They halted, trying to look for the former soldier when a sudden gust enveloped them, temporarily paralyzing them.

"Are you…"

The ninjas managed to glance at Alex.

"…awake in your sleep?"

No voice was presence. No breath was audible. Only a dead, frightening silence that lurked the area, as the lone wolf landed on the ground and lowered the katana. As frightening as one could imagine, the ninjas' chest imploded, and one by one, they dropped to the pavement dead. No blood, no scream, no pain. Just a long period of silence silhouetting the earth as if a certain angel of death had stepped upon it.

Alex slowly walked out of the scene, dropped the stainless katana and halted. The ninja who was holding Ren hostage were terrified and fled, leaving the twos in the middle of confusion. Ren approached him and reached for his hand when he suddenly dropped to his knees and shivered.

"What… what have I done?"


	6. Chapter 06: Fatal Resolution

**Heart of the Melting Blood  
Legend of the Moonlight  
Written and conceived by: **Lone Wolf NEO

Lone Wolf NEO does not own any of all the games or anime or manga featured in this story, but he owns the copyright to all his original ideas in this fiction. Lone Wolf would really appreciate it if readers do not plagiaries everything inside this story without his knowledge.

**Chronological Note:** Heart of the Melting Blood: Legend of the Moonlight takes place scarcely half a year after the event in Heart of the Melting Blood RELOADED, and currently runs roughly in parallel with Guilty Gear: The World Within and Without written and created by Sheo Darren. This story takes place in the TYPE MOON universe, and happens at Misaki Town where the events of Shingetsusan Tsukihime once took place.

**Chapter 6  
Fatal Resolution  
**

He was not saying anything. All he did was to sit idle on the couch, staring at the table in front of him and stooped his head. Sitting across him, the Vatican agent was watching at him in concern, occasionally blowing into the coffee cup she was holding.

"So, Alex-kun," Ciel finally broke off the silence and put down the ceramic glass. "You really didn't know what happened to you or them at the park?" He did not answer. He kept staring at the table, fiddling with his fingers and mumbling of something. She just sighed and corrected her eyeglasses, before staring at him. "Did you really not know, or were you trying to hide something from me, Alex-kun?"

"I did not hide anything," he finally spoke and violently scratched his head, "I have nothing to hide from you at all. Please believe in me, Miss Ciel."

"Now, now, Alex-kun, I didn't mean to suspect you, or accuse you on what happened there," she insisted and sighed again. "Because if I were, I would've used my authority as the church organization's agent to punish you. I don't want to do that on you; I won't."

"It… it wasn't supposed to happen," he spoke and frowned. "It wasn't, and I didn't want to make it happen, but I couldn't stop myself…"

"Why did you say that?" she asked.

"I had no idea of what happened to me… but in the sudden," he spoke and stared at his palms, "I felt this urge… this urge to kill… rising inside of me. I tried not to succumb to it, but I couldn't; it's just too strong for me to resist…" Then he cupped his face and slumped into depression.

"I tell you what," Ciel told him and put another glass of coffee in front of him, "take a rest. Maybe your body still isn't getting used to the environment of this town, and I'm sure it is. _Ne_?" He just nodded and took the glass. "Then I better take my sleep now. Are you sure you don't want to use the room next to mine? I can have it prepared if you want to."

"No, thanks. I think I'll stay up for tonight," he said and sipped the coffee.

She just nodded and headed to her bedroom. _"Ja, oyasuminasai."_ She waved at him and entered the room, leaving him in a silence only he could apprehend with. He was not saying anything for the next few seconds before he clenched his fist and shook his head disapprovingly.

"Why must now…?"

x-x

Shiki sighed. He had received phone call from Ciel that Alex would be staying at her place for a night or two, due to unavoidable circumstances. He did not mind it if Alex had to stay outside or had something prior to his importance, yet he was wary when Ciel told him that Alex was having problems with the neighbourhood and had to be accompanied by her for the night. He was not the only one who concerned; Hisui, Ren and Sion too were upset to hear the news.

"Thinking about our lone wolf of holy orders, eh Shiki?" He turned around and could only smile at the sight he saw. "You know, for the one who was once Kiba-chan's acquaintance, you must have a lot to think about him and whatever he's doing right now, am I right?"

"I'd rather not talk about that, though, Arcueid," he said and approached the fridge, taking out a carton of milk and drinking its content. "And why are you asking that of all questions, if I must know?"

Arcueid giggled and sat beside the dining table, taking a sip of the Diet Cola she took from the fridge. "Why, I'm just curious. Aw, don't tell me you're jealous of Kiba-chan because he has lots of people –and girls- assisting him, hmm?" she playfully asked.

"That would be no, unfortunately," he answered, smiling uneasily at the question. "Speaking of which, Hisui complained to me again."

"Oh? What did she nitpick this time?" Arcueid asked, staring at him in curiosity.

"It's Alex," he said. "Ciel just called me a while ago; she told me that Alex would be staying at her place for a night, and she didn't tell me the reason. What's your thought about this?"

The True Ancestor scratched her chin, as if she was thinking of something. "Could it be _that_?" She later noticed the disgraced look on Shiki's face, and she realized that she was playing with fire. "That was only a joke. But if you ask me… could Alex have been caught in trouble, and Ciel was there to save him or something?"

"That's what I was thinking after the phone call," he said and tossed the empty carton into the dustbin. "Anyway, I'm not the only one worried over Alex. Sion and Hisui were upset when I told them that Alex wouldn't be coming home tonight; heck, even Ren refused to talk to me after that."

"Now, now, Shiki," Arcueid uttered and finished the canned drink. "If I were you, I'd asked her of why she was worried of him. I'm sure she has her reason to be upset."

The Tohno heir just sighed and stared outside the window. "I guess you're right."

x-x-x-x-x

"Hey, Alex! How long must you take to kill that Gear? We're going home in any minutes, so do it quickly!" Rage shouted from on top of body piles.

The young knight lost his concentration and shouted at his fellow knight in dismay. "Shut up, Logan! Can't you see I'm trying to attack this dragon?" he shouted as he lowered his stance. The Gear dragon made a deafening roar and flapped its wings in an intimidating pose, ready to strike upon the knight. "Just when I was about to score the highest kill for today, why must you interfere?"

The axe-wielding knight laughed hoarsely and holstered the war axe upon his shoulder. "Come on, Alex! You know you can't do it alone. Why don't you ask one of us to help, hmm?"

"Let him be, Logan," a knight who was carrying a battle crossbow approached him, "he knows what he must do. And besides, have you looked at his eyes?"

"Why are you asking that, Henry?" Logan asked, glancing at the archer.

"His eyes are full of anticipation and ambition," the archer spoke and watched, as the duel between Alex and the Gear dragon was to take place. The two warriors of their own kind were ready; ready to outdo and outwit each other on the battle everybody had wanted to avoid, yet couldn't.

The dragon roared. It fired a stream of flamethrower from its mouth, aiming the arsenal of fury at Alex. The young knight screamed a battle cry, gallantly jumped over the jet of 500-degrees inferno and pounced at the dragon's head. The beast of ancient epoch screamed in agony when a blade was pierced unto its forehead and it violently swayed its head to the left and right, trying to get the human off its head. Alex persisted and held onto Black Sabbath he stabbed into the dragon's head.

"I shall finish this!"

Alex gathered his strength and dragged the blade across the dragon's head, brought it toward the neck and dragged it downward. The dragon roared in pain and tried to snatch the knight, yet he was already too far for its mighty arms to reach. He soon reached the heart of the dragon and halted; as if he was not going to continue, he suddenly twisted and brought himself into the beast's chest, penetrating all internal organs with the blade. As if it was not enough, he jumped out of the cavity, landed before the shivering dragon and lowered his stance.

"Are you…"

He pounced back at the dragon, disappeared in the thin air and re-emerged behind it, Black Sabbath in backward position. Slow as he could, he stood up and put the kodachi into its scabbard.

"Awake in your sleep?"

The dragon was slain across its body, before shattered into pieces of cleanly cut flesh and bone. Alex was erect on the ground, closing his eyes as if he was meditating on something. Then he opened his eyes and glanced at the waiting knights.

"Let's go home," he said and walked toward the sunset, "I bet everyone must be awaiting our arrival."

x-x

He opened his eyes. He was lying on the couch, arm above his forehead and newspaper covering his eyes. He was in the state of bewilderment, having no idea of what to do now nor next. He just lied there and waited for time to pass by. "That wasn't the kind of dream I wanted to have in the first place," he grumbled and closed his eyes.

"_Ohayou_, Alex-_kun_."

He removed his arm and saw a pair of sapphire eyes staring down at him, accompanied with a smile warm enough to wake him up. _"Ohayou_," he lazily replied and sat back. "You're early; and what business you have in waking me up?"

She giggled and showed him the alarm clock. "It's almost eight; and I do believe you have a job to attend today, right?" she asked.

For a while, he stared at her in intrigue before he shrugged and jumped off the couch. "Right; I better be hurry, or the kids will be mad if I'm late."

x-x

"But to know that a former knight decided to work at the kindergarten, I must say that you're quite lovable to the children," Ciel said. "Why, if I must ask, are you interested?"

"It was Akiko and Ayu," he told her. "Those two girls… I had promised them to teach them origami at the kindergarten; even if I didn't accept the work proposal in the first place, I felt that I need to do something for these young generations."

"Ah, I see," she said and smiled, nodding as she did. "You really do like children; I'm just hoping you're not going to become a paedophile."

He twitched at the comment. "I'd rather die than to let myself becoming a Lolikon, Miss Ciel. And I'm not like a certain person who denies the fact, and yet let a girl way too young for regular people's test to accompany him. No, I'm not that kind of people."

Back at London, Sol suddenly sneezed while enjoying ice cream with Kagura. "Suck; someone must be badmouthing me at the back right now," he complained and wiped off ice cream from his face.

"Aw, Sol-_kun_, your face is now dirty," Kagura mumbled and gave him her hankie. "Here, use this."

"Thanks," he said and took the cloth. "Damn; whoever messes with me is bound to taste my Fireseal's flame."

Ciel laughed to hear the reply. _"Ara_, I must apology if I have somewhat insulted you with my words," she spoke between her chuckles.

"Nah, I'm used to it. It's people nowadays who need to change their first perception," he told her.

"Well, here we are," he uttered, as the two people finally arrived at the kindergarten. "Thanks for accompanying me, Miss Ciel. Though I would've walked here by myself, I'm very grateful to have someone walking and talking with me on the way here."

She just chuckled and handed him the envelope. "Don't mention it; it's my pleasure to help Lone Wolf-_kun's _people," she said and smiled.

"Well, then, I'll see you again this evening," he told her after taking back the envelope. "Later."

Just then, he heard his name called when he was at the front door. He turned back to the gate and saw Ciel showing a thumb-up at him. "Good luck on your first day, Alex-_kun_!" she said and waved. He nodded and waved back at her, before entering the building.

x-x

It was evening. Before he knew it, his first day at new workplace ended, and he was pleased. The children at the kindergarten seemed to accept his presence as new instructor, even though some of them complained of his late arrival.

"I was very happy to see you working here, Alexander-_san_," Yuriko spoke as she accompanied him to the main gate, while Akiko and Ayu tagged with them together. "To tell you the truth, I was very unsure whether you could adapt yourself in such environment, but you proved yourself a worthy educator back there. I must thank you for accepting this job."

"No big deal, ma'am," he said and laughed. "I'm just doing what I feel right to do. And the kids, they even asked me to stay here."

_"Sou! Sou!"_ Akiko answered and seized his arms. "_Oniichan _can make lots and lots of paper cranes for us afterwards! And he can treat us with ice creams! _Ne_, Ayu-_chan_?"

The short-haired girl giggled and seized his other arm. "_Oniichan _is a nice guy, though we saw him coming here with a woman earlier this morning. Is she your girlfriend, _oniichan_? Is she?"

"Miss Sion will kill me if she hears this," he mumbled and laughed uneasily.

The group separated at the crossroads. "Then I'll be meeting you again, Alexander-_san_. Oh, I'm hoping to see you coming up with something for tomorrow's class; you're quite impressive in teaching the kids, but you should have something to assist."

"Don't worry about that, ma'am. I just know what to do for the kids tomorrow," he assured and glanced at the two girls. "Ayu-_chan_, Akiko-_chan_, _oniichan _will be going home now. Be nice on the way home, and remember what I said earlier during class."

"Never talk with strangers," and the three of them laughed in unison.

Ayu and Akiko bowed to him. "Bye-bye, _oniichan_! See you tomorrow!" the young girls said and waved before followed their custodian across the road. Alex just waved at them in return before continued his journey to Tohno Residence.

His steps halted. He stood idle on the pavement, warily glancing over his shoulders. As if he was not expecting it to happen, he slowly opened his stance, even as assassins leaped from their hiding places and surrounded him en masse.

"Not again."

"Yes, it is." He grumbled in disgust at the voice, and did not turn around to see the comer. "What's the matter? Aren't you happy to finally meet and fight me in this duel, Lone Wolf?"

"I have nothing against you or anybody, so why must you look for trouble with me?" he replied. He heard a grim laughter, and he wasn't pleased with the response. "Answer me! Logan!"

"Still calling me with that name, eh?" Rage asked, his intonation was mocking. "I tell you what; you and your holy knight status has been an irk to everyone from the day you were admitted to the orders, and you must know that all were against you."

"That was things from the past!" He pounced toward an assassin and seized his katars. He immediately opened a stance, watching at the axe warrior in anger.

Rage laughed and put down the oversized axe to the ground. "Ah, yes. I almost forgot one crucial fact: lone wolf Alexander Hahn was an assassin, feared for his Warrior's Berserk. But even with that, I doubt you would even remember what had you done to us." Alex was insulted and lowered his stance even lower, almost touching the ground. He watched the displeased reaction and sighed. "Whatever. I shall carry out Mistress' orders to exterminate you and erase you out of existence. Attack him, and kill him."

The assassins complied to the command, and simultaneously they dashed around the lone wolf, accelerating as they did. Alex immediately opened his steps and attacked the assassins, knocking each and everyone of them out of arena as he advanced himself toward Rage. He was an angry wolf, with an appetite for bloodshed he could not resist.

He screamed in bloodlust and jumped over the assassins, heading toward Rage. "Logan, I demand you to stop this, or I'll make you!" he yelled aloud and aimed for his head.

Rage laughed mockingly and spun the axe in his hand. "Like I want to obey that! Prepare for your history and have a taste of this Battle Emperor Axe!"

Alex kept pouncing toward the axe warrior when his eyes caught something not supposed to be included in the scene. A schoolgirl, walking near the arena and not noticing the duel that was taking place. He was about to scream at the girl when Rage slammed the axe onto the ground, unleashing a series of wind blades from crevasses. The impact was so immense that almost all the assassins were knocked out, and one of its shockwaves was hurling toward the unsuspecting victim.

"WATCH OUT!"

Having forced to switch his focus, he flung himself toward the girl and pushed her faraway. The wind blade struck, and he was sent crashing on the nearby statue. The girl, confused at first, cried in terror and immediately approached him, calling out his name as she did. Slowly he got back on foot before he fell back on his knees, coughing of blood and gasping for air.

"Bah! Not the consequences I want to see," Rage snorted and holstered the axe on his shoulder. "But whatever; I shall finish this!" Rage cried a final battle cry and leapt toward him, lifting the war axe high to the air.

"BEAST SLAYING SLASH!"

The attack was blocked. Rage was knocked out of his attacking path and almost crashed. Alex watched in front of him and almost gasped at what he saw.

"Miss… Ciel?"

The owner of the multiple blades glanced back at him. "Are you alright? Thank goodness I arrived here in time," she spoke and looked back at Rage. "Things aren't going good for you right now."

"That's not the main point! What are you doing here?" he demanded.

"Alex-_kun_, I advice you not to argue with me right now," Ciel uttered and withdrew a couple more swords from her sleeves. "If you don't want to see you and the girl getting hurt, then leave. Leave the enemy to me."

"You again? Just when I was about to finish off this job," Rage snorted as he got back on his feet. "You have guts, but that kind of attitude isn't going to help; not when you're dealing with me!" Again, he pounced at Alex when Ciel tossed many blades at him in salvoes. He was pushed back and grumbled in dismay, as his opponent opened a battle stance strange to him. "Nice. Looks like I have to play a bit rough this evening. Everyone, attack her."

"Alex-_kun_! Run quickly! And don't try not to listen to me this time; it's for your own sake!" she shouted and evaded attacks an assassin tried to land unto her. He could not do anything not to fight back, and he had to run away from the scene, helped by the frightened girl.

He was in luck.

Saber, Shirou and Illiya happened to walk at the park when he stumbled across them. Immediately he caught up with them and handed the schoolgirl to them. "Take care of her for me; I'll be back!" he shouted and ran back to the arena. The three people watched at him in suspicion before they decided to follow him.

He arrived back at the arena, and was in shock. Ciel was lying on the road, half-conscious. Rage was standing next to her gallantly, even though his uniform was ripped off. He cried out the Vatican agent's name in horror and leapt toward her when Rage stopped him midway with another wind blade. "Logan! What have you done to Miss Ciel!" he screamed.

"She asked for it, though I tried my best not to kill her," Rage answered and cracked his neck. "But it was her fault to meddle with the Six Judges, and I had to teach her a lesson she would not be able to forget. That is…"

"Stop this…" he growled and stooped his head so low that Rage barely saw his trembling eyes. His fists clenched, shaken with anger and annoyance he never thought to have. Slowly he reached a katana plunged on the road, lifted it and held it erect. Rage laughed again and lifted his axe, ready to pounce at his prey. Then he was suddenly pushed back, suppressed by an intense killing instinct that came from Alex. Even Saber, Shirou and Illiya sensed the aura and were caught in fear they never felt before.

"This…" Rage gasped. "This is the Warrior's…"

"Stop this…" he growled and halted. Slowly he lifted his head, revealing a pair of eyes full of anger and hatred, shrouded in the thick killing intention he possessed. "I SAID STOP THIS AT ONCE! LOGAN!"

A deafening noise echoed in the evening sky. Two metal blades were collided and ground against each other. It happened too fast for everyone to watch and experience, and all they felt was only a slipstream blowing past them. It was a slipstream they never felt before, and was the most terrifying they ever sensed.

It was over. The mighty Battle Emperor Axe fell victim to the mere katana, and was shattered into pieces. Alex stood behind Rage in crouching pose, the katana brought in backhand slaying position. The axe warrior was stunned by the slipstream and lost his grip on the now-destroyed battle axe before he fell on his knees. "No… I, the First of the Six Great Judges, have been defeated… this is impossible…!" he spoke, his voice deteriorated.

"Fatal resolution…" the lone wolf whispered and stood up, glowering at the injured and bewildered judge. "It's not something you would take seriously, and I swear I shall kill those who deny it with my very own hands." He turned around, tossed the katana and walked away from them. It was only several steps later that he halted and ran back toward Rage, delivering a punch onto his face. He, as well as the rest of the people, were shocked at what he had done. "Damn you! This is not the Logan I know!" he cried and again punched his face.

"Lone Wolf, what's the meaning of all this?" Rage demanded and again got punched in the middle of his face, breaking his nose. He was knocked to the ground and was subdued when Alex prodded a knife on his neck. "Lone… Alex, what are you trying to… do?" he asked, gulping when the sharp edge was pressed against his skin.

"Goddammit! Logan I know would never give up even after he lost his weapon!" Alex cried at his face. "And why didn't you even bother to retaliate back then! Curse, this isn't like you!"

Silence for a while, Rage later gave out his hoarse laugh and brought the hand that held the knife aside. "Jeez, looks like I made a mistake in doing this job; I just turned a timid puppy into a big, bad wolf," he said and put his hand on his forehead. "A defeated person like me has no place to go now; I must now obey the blood contract I offered to Mistress; leave if you fail, and never let me see your face again, or you shall receive the consequences.' I guess I'm all alone now."

"Not anymore." Rage glanced up and saw a smile carved upon the calmed down wolf, even as he was offered a hand to grab. "Welcome back, Logan. Glad to see you in one piece again."

Rage grinned and seized the hand. "Yeah, I'm back."


	7. Chapter 07: It Was Not What He Wanted

**Heart of the Melting Blood  
****Legend of the Moonlight  
****Written and conceived by**: Lone Wolf NEO

Lone Wolf NEO does not own any of all the games or anime or manga featured in this story, but he owns the copyright to all his original ideas in this fiction. Lone Wolf would really appreciate it if readers do not plagiaries everything inside this story without his knowledge.

**Chronological Note:** _Heart of the Melting Blood: Legend of the Moonlight_ takes place scarcely half a year after the event in _Heart of the Melting Blood RELOADED_, and currently runs roughly in parallel with _Guilty Gear: the World within and Without_ written and created by Sheo Darren. This story takes place in the TYPE MOON universe, and happens at Misaki Town where the events of Shingetsusan Tsukihime once took place.

**Chapter 7  
****It Was Not What He Wanted **

The meeting room was disturbingly silent. Visible in the pitch darkness was a group of elders sitting in a half-ring table, and they were looking down at a young woman who was shone by a lone light shining from the above. There was not a word spoken from either of them, as the elders kept their eyes locked on her for a period of time.

"Mistress," one of the elders called her, "the first judge has fallen to the hand of the lone wolf, and the wolf has yet to be tamed. What are you going to do with it?"

She was not saying anything.

"Mistress, please answer our question." The same elders insisted. "The success or failure of the judgment day depend on your decision and the leadership you offer to the Dragoon Society. If you fail in this mission, our ambition will be very hard to reach."

Again, she was not saying anything.

"Do remember, Mistress, that you and your action are being watched by us the highest council of Red Dragoon," an elder sitting at the centremost position of the table, who seemed to be the chairman of the council. "Were something to happen to you or the judges, we will presume that you have failed in your responsibility. Surely, you don't want that to happen, right?"

She was not saying anything yet again.

"You still haven't answered our question, Mistress," the elders from earlier spoke. "Do not waste our time with you here."

"I am very sorry, elders," she finally broke her silence. "It was my lack of attention that Rage had failed his mission. I will take responsibility on his behalf."

The council members looked at each other, saying something in ad lib. Then one of the people deeply laughed and told the elders to stay calm. "Gentlemen, please, do not worry about her and her legions," he spoke. "Regardless of the slim chance of successfully accomplishing the mission, I can guarantee right here and right now that the lone wolf will soon be captured and tamed before the main event takes place."

"Make sure it's done as soon as possible, Valentino," the chairman of the council insisted. "You know the consequences of failing us."

The man laughed again. "Failing does not exist in my dictionary, and I'll make sure it will not happen."

The meeting ended. The man called Valentino and the girl walked out of the meeting room and walked down the alley without saying anything. "Please forgive me for my carelessness, sir," the girl called him and halted. "Had I known this to happen, I'd never send Rage to challenge him. It was my fault that…"

Valentino sighed to hear her and approached her. "Please, do not say anything that will sadden your heart. You know you didn't do anything wrong," he spoke and gently caressed her cheek.

"But sir, I…" she spoke and seized the rough hand and held it tenderly. "I just want to… I just want to be reunited with him… again. I can no longer wait for the day to come, so…"

The mid-40's man grinned and patted her scalp. "Have no worry. I will make sure you meet him as soon as you want to." He kissed her on the forehead and stepped back from her, before resuming his walk while the girl closely followed him from the behind. "If the council wants this matter to be settled quickly, then we have to have a change in the plan. Gather the remaining judges at my office this evening, for I would like to speak with them of something. You should come as well."

"What are you going to tell us, sir?" the girl asked.

A grim smile carved upon his face. "Hunting season has begun."

x-x-x-x-x

He was not saying anything. His mind was thinking of how Ciel was doing, after badly wounded in her duel with Logan. He was concerned of her safety, and he doubted his former comrade of the Holy Order's sincere regret on what he had done on the Vatican agent. He was so deep in his thought that he did not listen to Ayu and Akiko's call. It was only after the two girls yelled at his ears that he snapped from his mind venture.

"Why are you yelling at my ears, both of you?" Alex demanded and shivered from the ringing hiss in his ears. "I could've gone deaf from that!"

"But _oniichan_ seems to be sad," Akiko said. "Could _oniichan_ be thinking of the _megane_ _oneesan_ you walked with yesterday?" He had a very embarrassed look on his face, as the young girls started teasing him. He almost lost his patience and was about to chase them around the class before he slumped in depression. "What's the matter, _oniichan_? Is something the matter?"

"Yeah, you aren't usually like this in class," Ayu said and stared at him. "If it's not the _megane_ _oneesan_ you're worried of, then what is it? We can help you if you're willing to share your problem with us."

He smiled at the offer and patted their head. "Don't worry about me, Ayu-_chan_, Akiko-_chan_. _Oniichan_ is just a bit tired from last night."

Akiko gasped and tried to hide her shocked expression. "Tired? Oh my god! Did you and _megane_ _oneesan_… do that?" she asked and laughed. "Look! _Oniichan_ is blushing! _Oniichan_ is blushing! _Oniichan_ is embarrassed now!"

A very mortified look crossed his face, even as the people inside the staff room watched at him in intrigue. "Where the hell did she learn things about that? Man, Miss Ciel is going to kill me if she listens to this…" he whispered.

x-x

"That was a tough day," Alex complained as he walked from the kindergarten. "And I had been embarrassed in front of Miss Amasawa because of Akiko's misunderstanding. What had Akiko really thought of that time? If she was just joking, well…"

"Alex?" He halted and turned to his left; it was Saber, Shirou and Illiya, to his delight. "Where are you from? Are you going to visit Ciel at the hospital?" Saber asked.

"No, unfortunately. I just finished my work at the kindergarten, and am heading back home," he told them. "And you guys are visiting her? At this time?"

"Oh, Shiki just called us," Shirou told him. "He invited us to visit Ciel at the hospital today, and we thought we could ask you to come along."

"I'd like to, but I cannot right now," he said and uneasily smiled. "Not when I still have to deal with yesterday's incident. Sorry, guys, but can you go ahead without me? I think I'll pay her my visit tomorrow."

Saber just sighed to hear that. "Well, if you said so. But that Logan guy asked us whether he could come with us," she said. "And I think he's at the hospital already. Are you sure you don't want to come?"

"No, thanks. I highly appreciate the invitation, though," he said and resumed his walk. "Do send in my regards to Miss Ciel when you meet her there, and tell her to get well very soon. I fear someone will be extremely upset to know that she's not alright."

"Alright, then, we'll be going now. We'll tell her your regards, don't worry about it, okay?" Shirou said, as they headed to a different direction. "See you later, Alex."

"Bye-bye, Alex-_oniichan_! See you tomorrow!" Illiya waved at him. Alex just waved at the girl before he headed his way to the city park. There, he walked toward the battleground and stood there. Silent as he was, he later cursed and plunged his fist onto the pavement.

"Damn it! Even Logan didn't tell me why he attacked me," he grumbled and pulled back the bleeding fist. "There has to be an explanation on his action along these passing days. If he didn't do this on purpose, someone must be controlling him from the behind. And what's this Great Judge and Judgment Day thing? What's the big deal?"

He stared at his injured knuckle and decided to go to Tohno Residence. "I better go home now; Miss Sion must be worried, if not Miss Hisui and Ren."

x-x

_"Tadaima."_ Immediately he was greeted by Sion as he opened the door. "Miss Sion? Is something the matter?"

She was staring at him for a very long time before she snarled. "You… don't you dare making me worried!" she cried. "Do you have any idea of how worried I am after what happened to you yesterday? For God's sake, you're terribly idiot!"

"What… what's with this commotion? Miss Sion, just what's going on?" he demanded.

The Atlasian alchemist kept staring at him before she frowned. "When Arcueid told me you were under attack, I was worried that you might get hurt. And after the Logan person met me and told me what really happened…"

"Logan came here? What did he tell you?" he asked and took her arms. Unknowing to him, Sion fell onto his body and clung onto him very tightly. "Miss Sion…" He said nothing after that and slowly embraced her, whispering to her ear, "I'm sorry if I have made you worried yesterday."

"You shouldn't…" she sobbed and buried her flushed face beneath his arms. "Please, Alex… you've been facing so much hardships along your life, and you're going to harm yourself yet again? Please, Alex, no more… no more…" No words were to be spoken, he decided, as they were not necessary to calm a crying heart. Softly he kissed her scalp and held her close, cuddling her as he did. She sank in the warmth embrace of the black feather and she let it be.

"Anyway," he said and pushed her off his body, "what's cooking for tonight's dinner? I kind of hungry already."

She grumbled at first before she giggled and took him to the kitchen. "Hisui was preparing some meals when you arrived. Perhaps you ought to ask her yourself."

x-x-x-x-x

"How are you doing now?" Arcueid asked.

"I'm fine," Ciel answered and sipped the tea. "The doctors here are doing their best to keep me fit. I should be able to leave this hospital in a day or two."

"Hah, I could care less if the one I have to visit happens to be… my archrival," Arcueid answered, causing Ciel to cough in protest. Beside her, Shiki was trying not to let arguments between the two of them to ignite. "But anyway, there's no use I want to argue with you right now; not when it's him we have to take care of."

"You mean Alex-kun?" Ciel asked and gazed outside the windows. "I don't know what really happens to him, but since that day… he's become so quiet. He doesn't want to talk with anyone else except when he really needs to; not even to his friend Logan. Well, he had apologized to me for being responsible that night, but I don't get it."

Arcueid looked at her. "Huh? Something's knocking your mind, Ciel?"

"If he is indeed one of the Great Judges, he could've just abandoned me to chase Alex-kun or, at least, ordered his minions to pursuit him," Ciel continued. "But he has something more… personal behind the battle."

"I don't get it," the True Ancestor insisted. "Care to clarify?"

"Shiki, we're here." The people inside the ward shifted their attention to the coming visitors. "Sorry for being late. We had tough times in coming here and almost got lost, if Logan hadn't shown us the way."

"Saber, you're just in time. Please come in, and do make a lot of noise. I'm sure Ciel wouldn't mind it," Arcueid told them. Again, Ciel coughed in protest; this time, followed by an angry vein popping on her forehead.

"I thought Alex's coming with you," Shiki said.

"He was, but he refused to come along," Saber said and put the bouquet next to the bed. "He said something about 'finished my work at the kindergarten and am heading home'. Oh, he sends his regards to you, Ciel."

"Oh, my. That Alex-_kun_, he shouldn't be too generous," Ciel replied and giggled. "And you mentioned Logan a while ago. Where is he, if I may ask?"

"He's waiting outside the hospital," Shirou answered. "He said it'd be the best if an injured wolf is to be left alone, not disturbed."

Ciel just chuckled at it. "He should say that to Alex-kun, not me. Oh, well; at least, he is no longer an enemy."

"That reminds me to ask Lone Wolf," Shiki said and scratched his chin. "He must have something, and he must have known all about Alex's commotion here."

x-x-x-x-x

That afternoon was serene. It was Sunday, and Alex was given a day's off from his work at the kindergarten. Immediately he seized the opportunity to walk around the town, talking to every people he could meet and interacting with them.

He arrived at the square. He looked around and saw an ice-cream booth nearby. Deciding to buy himself an ice-cream, he approached the booth when a rain of arrows appeared from nowhere and showered the city park. He was stricken and evaded all arrows fired at the square. The people around were struck in fear and scattered for cover; he was dead furious to see the civilians involved in the chaos and ordered them to leave the park immediately.

"Halt!" He immediately stopped on his track as he heard a yell from the bushes. "We are not here to look for trouble with you, and we advice you not to do the same to us."

"Just who the hell are you guys this time!" he demanded. "And what business you have with me here? Speak quickly!"

"We are here by the orders of the highest council of the Red Dragoon," the man who carried an oversized crossbow spoke as he appeared from beneath the undergrowths. "Patience, lone wolf, for I am not here with any intention of hurting you or anybody else around this vicinity."

"You… you're the one who fired the arrows at me! Just what the hell was that for?" he demanded.

A swordsman walked next to the archer and grinned slyly at Alex. "We thought it would be necessary to prevent a wolf from escaping, whether it's hunting season or not. Hence, the arrow shower."

Alex lost his patience and pounced at the two newcomers when a figure appeared before him and blocked his fist with an energy shield. He was backed off and had to jump away for a distance, as a female monk stood before the twos in a battle stance. "Shoot! Even a girl is against me! What are you up to with me! Answer me!"

"Patience, lone wolf," the archer said as he reloaded the crossbow. "Even as we have the answer you need to know, we're prohibited to say or do anything until they arrive. Only after that, we're allowed to do whatever we're ordered to."

"What the hell does that mean, whoever you are!" Alex yelled.

"It means," the swordsman said and pointed the rapier at Alex's face, "to shut the hell up. Mistress will be coming in any moment, and so does he. All you have to do for now is to sit down like a kid and behave. Is that not okay with you?"

The female monk turned to her right. As if she sensed something, she retreated several steps behind and covered herself with a cloak. "They're here."

Alex turned to the direction the three people were looking, and saw a girl standing at a hill not far from them. He was wondering of who the girl was when she turned around and looked at him. He was in great surprise. The gaze of the sapphire eyes was cold. The smile on her face was grim. The face was showing a sadness he never saw before. Upon closer look, he later realized he was facing with something he least expected to see. Something he had not wanted to in the first place. Something… that had to do with his past.

And she was calling him with a suffix he could never have mistaken.

"Brother… Alex…"

"LIA?"

He gasped. The girl responded to the name, yet she said nothing and walked a bit away from him. He called her again when another shadow appeared in the sunlight, and it was grinning mockingly at him. "What's the matter, lone wolf? Are you shocked to see your sister again after these passing years? Or are you perhaps shocked because she is with me now?" the shadow asked as he slowly revealed himself in the silhouette.

"Val… Valentino! Is that really you, Valentino!" he cried out in horror.

The owner of the name laughed and holstered a sword on his shoulder. "Yes, that be me, the old Valentino who used to accompany you on your… 'cleansing' mission. Of course, I very doubt you'd still remember your former days as… an assassin."

He stepped back. "I'm… I'm an assassin? This cannot be happening…! I… I never thought myself of working as an assassin!" he insisted.

"Or perhaps you've forgotten the time you were assigned to assassinate the highest commander of the Holy Orders," Valentino said and shook his head. "What a pity. You were among the most feared and respected assassins the Guild ever had, and yet you deny the fact that you're among them. Foolish of you; you should've known about it better than the rest of us."

"An assassin? Me? The best in the guild? You've got to be kidding me," he groaned. "Why would I work and serve for the Guild, when I know it's nothing more than a group of criminals and outlaws? Why would I?"

"Yet it was this crime group who adopted, raised, trained, and took a great care of you and your sister. Why, Alexander," Valentino spoke and snorted. "Why are you trying to forget? Why are you trying to run away from your pre-destined fate? Why are you trying to ignore the truth? Why, Alexander? You must tell me the answer, or I cannot leave you and this place in ease."

He fell to his knees, clutching his head and shivering in pain. "Stop it…! Just stop it! I don't want to remember anything… I don't want to face it again…! Stop!" he cried.

The broadsword-carrying man snorted and plunged the weapon on the ground. "What's wrong with you? You should be happy to see your beloved little sister, at least. Come on! Smile for a second, will you?" He later laughed and shook his head in amusement. "Ah, yes. I almost forgot. You hesitantly accepted the news of Lia's unconditional death days after you left the guild, and had been thinking that you had lost the most precious treasure in the world. Surely it would've affected your performance after the orders took you in. Isn't that right, Alexander?"

"Stop it! JUST STOP IT!" he cried and cringed in pain. "Just… stop…"

He snarled at the response. "Look at you. You used to be strong, honourable, respectable, dedicated and deadly. You even earned the nickname lone wolf for all the lone works and commitments you had done. Where is he? Where is the lone wolf of the Assassin's Guild everybody always talked of? Tell me, Alexander, where is he, for I long to see his fatal bites again."

He no longer said anything. He just shivered and continued mumbling to himself, begging to something even he did not know. Valentino sighed to see the reaction left the city park, as the Judges and Lia closely followed him from the behind.

Then Alex called them aloud. "For God's sake! If your intention is to avenge me for the betrayal, why must you wait for ten years! Why must you wait until now to put the judgment onto me! Answer me, Valentino!"

He halted and turned back to him. "There is no answer of the question, Alexander, but I can only say one thing: get rid of your ignorance and live the life the way it is. Ah, yes, before I go," he said, "I'd like to forewarn you of an upcoming hunting season the Dragoon Society's hunters is going to handle. Preparations will be done in ten days, and they are impatient to hunt down a wolf's pack. You'd better get ready, too, because you might be involved in this event."

He resumed his walk, as the warriors escorted him to a nearby helicopter and left the city park. Alex was left at the place, in a confusion he never thought to have before. He stared at his hand before cupped his face with it. "Why… why now…"

x-x

"And you want to know what Alex said after that? 'Oh my god! That's the ugliest dragon I've ever seen in my whole life! How are we going to kill that thing?'" Logan spoke, even as Arima and Satsuki laughed. "But he did kill he dragon, and that awarded him with another Silver Cross. Man, I envied him so much for having so many medals in his collections. Even that Kiske guy was seldom awarded with the same honorary as he did."

"Had Alex-_san_ did something embarrassing when he was still a knight, Logan-san?" Satsuki asked.

"Why, yes he did; and he did it several times," Logan spoke and laughed. "Everybody was like 'what the hell is with this kid?' whenever he was caught doing embarrassing things; the most often being caught dating with female knights."

Arima laughed at the speech. "Was he really that… playboy, Logan-san?" she asked.

"Most of us thought he was, but every female knights we had asked said that he was the most easily approached holy knight in the group, and wouldn't mind befriending ?or dating- him," Logan continued. "I bet that's why he was so mad to see Ciel getting hurt."

Sion's ears was burning in embarrassment. "Of course, that doesn't mean he can date any girl he meets at the outside. Alex should know there's someone who's waiting to be taken out for a date," she insisted as she walked toward the stairs. She suddenly squealed when Arcueid managed to grope her, and cried in distress when she was continually fondled on the bosom. "Arcueid! Stop it! Stop it! You're harassing me!"

"Aw, our Mistress Sion is still embarrassed to admit it! Boo-hoo!" Arcueid exclaimed and continued teasing her, as a pair of cat's ears popped on her head.

Logan watched at the duo and blinked several times. "Did I say something?"

The door was opened. All of them watched and saw Alex walking into the house. "Yo, welcome home, Alex," Logan said and waved to him. He did not reply to the greeting; instead, he headed to the stairs and walked to his room. "What's with him? He isn't usually like that," he wondered.

Sion managed to get off Arcueid's possessive embrace and approached him. "_Okaeri_, Alex." She, too, did not get any reply from him and was promptly ignored. "Alex? Is there something wrong?" she asked and reached for his shoulder.

"I'm just a bit tired. Please… spare me some privacy," he told her and left him. Sion just watched at him and was wondering of what went wrong to him.

"Tired? He looks more like he just met something awful," Arcueid said and folded her arms. "Anyway, like he said, let's just leave him. He'll be fine and come down here."

"Alex…"

x-x-x-x-x

He was shocked. Scattering before his eyes were bones and charred bodies, all of them were spreading to as far as an eye could see. He looked around him and to himself, noticing that he was back in his Holy Knight uniform. He winced and put a hand on his head. "Is this… hell? The place all wrongdoers and sinners were sent into, waiting for their punishment?" he whispered and started walking across the bone field. He later shrugged and grumbled. "No… this is for someone like me as well… someone who had killed and slain people without ever questioning the reason…" He, then, looked back at the bones and noticed features that could only be found in Gears. "These bones… they might be the Gears I had killed… Gears who had no ideas of why they must be punished in the name of God and justice…"

He continued walking, climbing up a hill made of bones and reached its top. There, he met someone he awfully recognized as Sion. "What is she doing at this place?" he asked and approached her. When he tried to reach for her shoulder, she turned around and stared at him. He was in disbelief; it was her.

"NO!"

x-x

He abruptly woke up. Sweats were seen dripping down his face, dampening the blanket he used. He was startled for a very long time before he cupped his face and groaned in pain. "Goddammit… why must I be haunted by that kind of dream…"

He later frowned. He knew he could not hide the confrontation he had faced with the judges, and he would have to tell the residence of Tohno mansion about it. Everything, if possible, would be revealed to them. "Tomorrow…"

x-x-x-x-x

"Bye-bye, _oniichan_!" Akiko and Ayu waved goodbye at him as they walked out of the kindergarten complex. "See you tomorrow, and don't forget the promise we made, okay?"

"I will, Ayu-_chan_, Akiko-_chan_!" Alex replied and waved back at them. He sighed as he finished yet another day as an educator, and he only hoped he would not have to deal with problems again on the way home. "Alright, then." He walked down the road, thinking of what to be said once he called all of them in the gathering.

He stumbled upon Logan, who happened to accompany Ciel from the hospital. "Ah, you guys. Good timing, I was about to see you at the hospital," he said. "Can you spend your time and come to the residence?"

"Is there something you want to tell us, Alex-kun?" Alex did not answer the question Ciel asked and quickly headed to the mansion, leaving the twos in confusion. They stared at each other in wonder before nodded and followed him to the residence.

x-x

"So? What's with these commotion?" Arcueid asked, snorting at the presence of Ciel at the mansion.

"Alex asked us to come here for something… important," Logan told her. "Sort of. He looked upset when I asked him why; maybe he has something to tell us."

"I don't mind about that, but why the rest of us?" Akiha asked, even as Hisui served the guests with teas and cakes. "And besides, shouldn't he accompany Arima and Satsuki for their tuition at this time?"

"Sorry for waiting." All of them looked at the staircase and saw Alex coming down the stairs, accompanied by Sion. "Is everyone here? I'd like to see all of you here before I start this conversation."

"Are we late, everyone?" Saber asked, as the FATE trio arrived. "Alex called us in a sudden and asked us to come over, so we rushed from our hometown right away."

"No, you just came in time," Alex told them and sat on the sofa. "If everyone's here, I guess I can start this right now."

"Alex-_kun_, what is it you want to tell us?" Ciel asked, concerned of the purpose she was called over.

He was silent, slowly clenching his hands into a fist. Then he took a deep breath and gazed to the ceiling. "I met her yesterday."

"Her? Who?" Sion asked.

He closed his eyes, even as tears were forming in his eyes and he tried not to show them. "Lia."

Immediately the people were in ad lib. Lia? Who was she, and how did she relate to him? There must be an explanation behind this.

"_Ne_, Alex-_kun_, who is this Lia? And why are you so sad when you say her name?" Ciel asked again.

He stooped his head, very slightly. "She's… she's my sister."

Again, the people were in ad lib. His sister? This was the most shocking thing they ever heard. But why was he so unhappy?

"Then, what are you being upset of? You should be happy to see her, at least," Shiki insisted.

"How can I be happy, Shiki?" he replied and frowned, tightly clenching his fist. "How can I ever be happy when she died a long time ago? I… I couldn't believe myself that I'd meet her of all people…"

The ad lib became more frenzy, as the residents were talking among themselves in suspicion. Then who he had met yesterday? Was he telling him a hoax, or was he trying to explain a paranormal phenomenon?

"I thought I could forget everything… everything about her…" he spoke and frowned even lower. "My most important person to me in my whole life… after the Gear family… why this must happen now? I just want to forget it once and for all…"

"Alex," Sion said, finally breaking off the disorder, "please tell us what you really want to say, and… please let us know of why she was so… important to you."

He took a deep breath and gazed at the ceiling again. "It all started over ten years ago, when I was only fifteen."


	8. Chapter 08: 10th Man Down

**Heart of the Melting Blood  
****Legend of the Moonlight  
****Written and conceived by: **Lone Wolf NEO

Lone Wolf NEO does not own any of all the games or anime or manga featured in this story, but he owns the copyright to all his original ideas in this fiction. Lone Wolf would really appreciate it if readers do not plagiaries everything inside this story without his knowledge.

**Chronological Note:** _Heart of the Melting Blood: Legend of the Moonlight _takes place scarcely half a year after the event in _Heart of the Melting Blood RELOADED_, and currently runs roughly in parallel with _Guilty Gear: the World within and Without_ written and created by Sheo Darren. This story takes place in the TYPE MOON universe, and happens at Misaki Town where the events of Shingetsusan Tsukihime once took place.

**Chapter 8  
****10th Man Down **

Ten years ago, in the silent streets of Hamburg, Germany.

The sight of Holy Knights patrolling the town was visible to every eye that could see. It was the height of the Crusades, and knights were dispatched at the city, as well as around the world, to fend off the ever-advancing Gear armies that swept across the land. Aware of the danger the Gears might possess, the knights were more than ready to gamble their life for the sake of peace and justice.

Three knights could be seen walking down an empty road. One of them, a 20-year-old man was having fun talking with the two older knights while they were on regular patrol.

"But to think that our Hansen will be married this weekend," one of the old knights uttered and teasingly slapped the young knight's back, "that's got to be a surprise in time like this."

"And I heard from the headquarters that he'll marry the daughter of this city's mayor," the other old knight said and laughed hoarsely. "Hah, now that's what I call young luck. It's rare to see someone getting married in the time of war, and when the lucky girl happens to be from the colony. Say, what's gotten into your mind into marrying a Japanese?"

"Aw, please, senior," the young knight sheepishly replied and scratched the back of his head, "it's my family who arranged the marriage, and they didn't even ask me for opinion first."

"Come on, Hansen!" the earlier knight insisted and repeatedly patted his back. "Consider yourself fortunate for getting yourself a lifetime partner. We the old guys never had a chance of getting a girlfriend, even before we joined the Holy Orders. What a waste of life for us…"

He just grinned at the complain. "You two…"

The old knights halted. Something caught their eyes, and they immediately opened their stance. The young knight followed suit and withdrew their sword, waiting whether someone would appear from the darkest of corner. And they saw it: a young teen roughly in his fifteen, covered with black cloak.

"You are the knights of the Holy Orders, aren't you?" the stranger asked, as he slowly walked toward the wary knights.

"What business do you have with us, stranger?" the old knight demanded.

"I believe we have none, and I believe there is no confrontation between the two of us," he replied and halted. "But I do believe that your life is about to end tonight. Prepare yourself, holy knights."

"What did you say!" A dagger flew toward his face and pierced through his throat, instantly silencing him forever. The other old knight went mad at the fall of his comrade and pounced at the offensive stranger, before a blade cut through his midsection. The knight fell lifeless to the ground, and the stranger was left with the young knight, already terrified by what happened before his eyes.

"You… you're an assassin!" he screamed and opened a defensive stance. "What do you want from us! We know nothing of any grudge the Guild has against us!"

The stranger withdrew a kodachi from the cloak and lifted it horizontal to his face. "Surrender your life," he simply said.

"Never!" the knight replied. "I shall not surrender to the likes of you! Not here, not today, not now!"

He sighed and closed his eyes. "So be it." With that said he sprung toward the frightened knight and aimed a downward slash to his head. The knight jumped to his right and immediately counterattacked with a thrust from his sword. The assassin avoided the clumsy attack and delivered a hard kick onto the knight's face. He was knocked off and crashed on garbage container, and tried to get back on his feet when the assassin sprung toward him. Having forced to fight back, he gallantly charged toward the assassin and blocked his sword, pushing him down the street. The assassin made no attempt to fight back, and was pushed toward the concrete wall, even as the knight told him that he would never allow himself to be defeated.

"Why would you not allow yourself to lose?" he demanded and pushed the knight away from him.

The knight stepped several feet from the assassin and almost fell to the road. "There's someone waiting for me, and I'll make sure she won't shed a single tear for me! Not until I defeat you first!" he shouted and ran toward the assassin, aiming his sword at his chest.

"I see. But it's a futile effort." The assassin leapt toward the knight, lowering the position of the kodachi, and suddenly disappeared from sight. The knight was shocked, yet he was too fast to halt his sprint as he headed to the wall. He managed to halt and looked around, trying to find the assassin who went invisible. He became more frightened; sweats started to fall down his face, wetting his uniform.

A slipstream of wind appeared from nowhere, enveloping the knight who became even more terrified. Trying to overcome his fear, he saw a very faint shadow of the assassin passing through his body, and was frozen. "What… what just happened?"

"Are you…"

He slowly turned to his back, and saw the assassin in crouching position, kodachi fully brought backward.

"Awake in your sleep?"

Before an eye could blink, the slipstream struck through the knight's chest, right through his heart. He managed to see the assassin and noticed a mocking grin carved upon his face before collapsed to the road. The slipstream had shredded his heart, and he was instantly killed. The assassin looked at the lifeless body for a while before he put back the kodachi into the cloak and walked toward the end of the road.

Then he glanced back at the fallen knight. "Finding your happiness… is it?" he whispered and disappeared in the darkness.

x-x

He arrived home, and a pair of energetic arms immediately seized his neck, as a cheerful giggle welcomed him. "Hey! How is my little Lia doing now, hmm?" he asked and cuddled the young girl in his arms.

"You're late! Uncle Valentino just finished his aikido lesson, and he just asked about you a while ago," the girl mumbled and pinched his cheeks. "And you didn't even bother to buy me ice-cream. You forgot our promise already, brother Alex."

He just laughed and hugged the girl. "Aw, come on. I just finished my job, there's still plenty of times to buy you some," he told her.

She grumbled at the response and bit his ear, never letting it go. "Promise me you won't be coming home late again, or I'll pull your ear off your head," she growled.

"Ow! Okay, okay! Alright already," he insisted and let her off his ear. He put her down and rubbed the bitten scar on his ear. "You ruined my ear. Look at what you've done, Lia!" She stuck out her tongue at him in response and immediately ran toward the living room. He just grinned at her manners and chased her around the room, and managed to seize her petite body. "Got you! You think you can escape me, Lia?" he asked and went to tickle her waist.

"KYAA! Brother Alex, stop tickling me on the waist!" she squealed and tried to get off his possessive arms. "Stop it! Please, Brother Alex! It tickles! Uncle Valentino, help me!"

"What's with the commotion?" He stopped tickling the girl and looked at the front. The person he saw, a man in his late 20's wearing white-green hakama, was standing at the door and holding a bamboo sword in his hand. "Ah, if it isn't Alex. How was work?"

"Pretty much the same, I guess," he said and let the girl run toward the man. He tried not to laugh when he saw the pouting face of the girl as she clung onto the man. "Aw, Lia. Come on, I'm sorry for upsetting you."

"Brother Alex is so mean," she replied and hid behind the man. "Not only he forgot to buy ice-cream, he even tickled me. I don't like that; I should ask Uncle Valentino to teach you a lesson."

The man just laughed and lifted the little Lia in his arms. "Now, now. Your brother just came back from work, and you should give him a warm, welcoming hug, not complaining."

"But uncle, he forgot our promise!" she cried and scowled.

He sighed and patted her head before brought her to the kitchen. "I tell you what. We'll make homemade ice-creams, and we'll eat them ourselves. What do you say?"

"But what about Brother Alex?" she asked.

"Of course we'll let him have some," he told her and glanced at Alex. "That is, if he doesn't mind joining us."

Alex could not bear it and laughed. "Now that's what I call persuasion," he said and approached the two, teasing the girl as he did. The girl squealed at the taunt and stuck out her tongue at him again, even as the middle-aged man laughed.

x-x-x-x-x

_"Everyday was the same to me. I woke up every morning, reported to the Guild, took a task, looked for the target, assassinated it, reported back to the Guild and went home to be greeted by Lia. It was the same thing I had done from the time I became an assassin." _

_"You… you were an assassin? But… but I thought you were…" _

_"A knight? Yes, I was a knight, and I was too an assassin. It was the only choice I have, considering the current situation both of us had to deal with." _

_"But why would you become an assassin? And why must you kill the knights? They had nothing to do with you, right?" _

_"It was the only way to support my- no, Lia's life. Before Hikaru and the Gears, she was the only family I had, and I took a great care of her just to see her smile. And when the doctor told me she had tumour in her brain, I thought I would lose everything until he appeared in my life." _

_"Valentino…?" _

_"We were deprived, Miss Ciel. We could barely afford ourselves a home and had to take shelters under bridges. At that time, people were so worried of the Gears that they forgot about paupers like us, not even the Holy Orders. And when Valentino came to me and told me that he would help me getting enough fund to heal Lia's illness, I was so overwhelmed that I did not even hesitate to do everything." _

_"What did you do back there, Alex?" _

_"When he told me that I would have to work with the Assassin Guild, I was reluctant at first because the first thing that came to mind that I would have to do crimes. But after the leaders promised me of wealth and a better life for both of us, I had no other choice but to accept the job." _

_"Then what about the assassination on the knights?" _

_"I was later assigned to a special assassination team, whose task was to kill every Holy Knight we could find. It was a risky job, I know, and it was also stupid to mess with the knights, but then the leaders said to me it was the only way I could do if I were to save Lia." _

_"Alex… please continue where you stopped. I… no, we would like to know more about you and… Lia." _

_"I will, Miss Sion, and I will tell everything I could remember." _

x-x-x-x-x

He was inside the meditation room, sitting in front of the altar with the kodachi put between his lap and the Oriental-designed icon. He was in the middle of his meditation, oblivious of the silent night that accompanied him.

"Still staying up, Alex?" He opened his eyes and saw Valentino walking into the room. Not bulging from his position, he just nodded and continued his meditation. "Alex, I need to have a word with you. Can you spare some time with me?"

He opened his eyes, albeit not looking at him. "Go ahead."

Valentino took a seat close to him, slightly behind him. "I know this may sound absurd, but have you thought of leaving? I've been thinking of this matter from the time you were admitted to the Guild, because you were still young and still have a future to think of."

"Why are you asking that?" he replied.

"I-I didn't mean to encourage you to leave us, because you were among the best assassin we have," he quickly said. "But haven't you thought of your own future for a minute? And Lia, have you been thinking of her need to live an ordinary life?"

Alex reached the sword and slightly withdrew it, watching at the reflection of his face on its blade. "Even if we were to find a better life outside there, the people would still not accept lowlifes like us. Lia wouldn't be able to cope with such harsh life, and she would suffer."

"Then you'd still be staying in the Guild?" Valentino asked.

"Even if it may be forever, I will remain an assassin," he said and put back the kodachi on the floor. "As long as I can see her smile everyday, I'd do anything to protect it."

"I see. Before I leave," he said and put an envelope next to Alex.

Alex stared at the black-coloured envelope. "Task for tonight… thanks." Valentino, then, stood up and slowly walked back toward the sliding door, leaving him with the envelope and in silence. After a long time of idleness, he took the envelope and slowly walked to the outside.

"Brother Alex?" He halted and turned to the end of the walkway. "Going out again?" sleepily Lia asked as she stood in front of her room.

He approached her. "I have to, there's a work I must finish tonight," he said and knelt before her. "Don't worry; I'll be home as soon as I can. Now have a rest, okay?" he told her and brushed his lips upon her scalp.

"Promise me, okay brother Alex?" she asked and yawned.

"I will, Lia. I will."

x-x

He stood silently on the road, tightly holding the blood-coated kodachi. Scars and tears were visible all over him, an indication of an intense battle he had encountered. Scattering around him was bodies of the knights he had fought with, slain into pieces and emitted a foul stench only the strongest sense of smell could withstand.

"Good job, Lone Wolf," an assassin spoke as he and his friend arrived at the scene. "You have again accomplished the task flawlessly. The Guild's highest leaders will be very proud to see this achievement."

He didn't say anything. Wiping the blood off the blade, he walked away from the square and headed to the darkness. The assassins watched at him and was wondering of his cold response before examined the bodies.

x-x

"Lone Wolf, our leaders would like to see you right away," a secretary spoke as he entered the headquarters at the outskirt of the city.

He glanced at the middle-aged woman. "What business do they have with me?"

She was startled and quickly corrected her eyeglasses. "They would like to have a couple of words with you. That's all I can tell you; the rest of it, you have to inquire them yourself," she said.

"I appreciate that," he replied and walked toward the main hall. "Oh, yes. Tell the financial department to charge fifty bucks from my allowance for this month."

"Are you going to borrow money from us again, Lone Wolf?" the secretary asked.

He nodded. "As usual, yes. It's for my little sister."

"Then I'll inform the manager about it," she replied and quickly walked to the opposite direction of the walkway.

He arrived at the main hall, and walked toward a horseshoe-shaped table at the end of the road. "Alexander Hahn reporting in, elders," he said and bowed to the elders.

"Ah, yes. Lone Wolf, good timing we have," one of the elders spoke. "Please, make yourself comfortable."

"What business do you desire to have with me, elders?" he asked, not bulging from his standing spot.

"We believe you've been informed by Valentino prior to this meeting, Lone Wolf," another elder spoke and corrected his eyeglasses.

"I have no memory of such occasions, elders. Please clarify it for me," he spoke.

"It's regarding your little sister," the elder from earlier spoke and coughed. "We, the Assassin Guild, are very impressed by your performance and all deeds you have done to us as an assassin. However, we do believe that one man alone cannot do all works alone."

"That's why His Supremacy Zato-One had discussed with us hours earlier whether we could recruit your sister to become assassin," the elder from the rightmost position said. "And he even looked forward to have another female assassin who would be able to carry out tasks without hesitation. He foresees bright potency your sister has, as how he foresaw you."

He was startled. "You're talking about Lia? But elders, she's sick and I have to look after her everyday! Why would His Supremacy suggest her of all people? You must know that she needs immediate surgical operation to remove the tumour! She can't possibly do this task if she's to become an assassin."

"We understand the sentiment, Lone Wolf, and we do realize how caring you towards her are," the elder spoke, "but this is beyond our control. It is His Supremacy's decision; we wished we could convince him to choose somebody else, but he wouldn't change his choice. We're very sorry, Lone Wolf, but you have to meet His Supremacy to discuss this yourself."

He was angry. Without saying anything else, he left the elders and the hall, heading back to the front door without bothering the secretary who was calling him. He headed home and immediately went to his room when he arrived there, ignoring Lia who was waiting for him at the door.

x-x-x-x-x

"I was surprised," he continued his narration, "Of all people, Zato suggested my sister to be trained as assassin. I couldn't believe this, because the tumour was still in her head, and needed to be removed before it affected her body."

"She was in poor health… yet the Guild wanted to have her in their group. Why?" Saber asked.

"How should I know? I was very angry because nobody told me about this before, not even Valentino. And when I brought this matter to him, he told me he knew nothing of it. I asked him, 'then how did Zato knows that I have a sister? I've told you not to bring this matter outside this city, haven't I?' and Valentino insisted that it was beyond his control that the information was exposed to the highest administration." He took a deep breath before continued his story. "We quarrelled after that, and I left the house for a couple of days. When I returned home, Lia was sick and Valentino wasn't there to look after her. I was furious at how irresponsible he was that I had to take her to the hospital. Can you imagine how frustrated I was to be left alone with a girl who was suffering and was waiting for her end of life to arrive?"

"Alex, why… would you not let anyone to approach Lia? She was very close to Valentino, surely she had a limited relationship to the rest of the assassins," Ciel said.

"I wouldn't let anyone else lay a finger upon her, even when I have to stop them with my life. That's the promise I made to myself from the time I worked in this crime world." He closed his eyes, seemingly tried to recover the lost pieces of his memory. "Then one day, I received an order from the highest office; it was an order that would forever change myself and my future that was lying ahead."

x-x-x-x-x

He was hiding in cover, at the very same street where he had assassinated the young knight and his companions. He received a direct order from the highest administration of the Assassin's Guild: tonight, he would carry out an order to find and assassinate the highest commander of the Holy Orders. He had received information from spies that a band of knights would arrive at the area by midnight, and the commander was among the soldiers.

He frowned. The vivid image of his sister protesting his decision to accept the order was still fresh in his memory. He knew she was angry and did not to see him leaving, fearing that he would be in danger once he faced the knights. _"If you're still going to fight the knights, I shall ask grandpa at the headquarters to stop you! I don't want to see you getting hurt! Please, don't go!"_ was the warning he would keep in his mind. He grinned at how caring the seven-year-old girl towards him was.

"There's no time for sentiment." He walked out of the cover and headed to the empty crossroads, and stood there idle. He waited, even as he reached for the katana he concealed beneath the cloak he was wearing. It was ten minutes past midnight, and full moon was shining through the pitch-black sky to the pavement made of rock and concrete. He squinted when the sight of knights walking down the road was visible in the dark. Slowly he walked toward the horde, withdrawing the concealed blade and halted as the knights too stopped in the middle of their march. The knights were in wonder at the unknown visitor and were asking of his purpose until he pointed the katana to the mass.

"I'm looking for a knight named Kliff Undersn," he spoke. "If he's here, I want him to step forward, for I have a matter to deal with him."

The knights were in ad lib. Then one of them stepped forward. "What business does a man like you have with us? Speak quickly!" he demanded.

Alex tossed the cloak and revealed a black ninja uniform, with a scarf tied around his neck swaying to the wind that blew through the road. "The Guild wants him dead, and I'm here to fulfil their demand."

Instantly the horde was in chaos. Realizing that they were facing an assassin from the Guild, the knights immediately withdrew their weapons and made a phalanx formation. "Protect Commander Undersn! Don't let the assassin get close!" they yelled out and directed all weapons at him. He wasn't intimidated by the human wall and waited at his place, his kodachi still in hand.

"What's with this chaos?" A hoarse voice was heard shouting from the back of the mass. The knights broke off the formation and gave way to an old knight, who was walking from the very back position of the group. Alex watched at the old knight and lowered the kodachi. "Who might you be, young man?"

"The name is Lone Wolf, an assassin from the Guild," he spoke and opened a stance. "Prepare yourself, Kliff Undersn, for your life will end tonight."

The knight named Kliff rubbed his beard and stared at him. "I do believe that respecting elders are a must for youngsters today, but you seem to be lacking it. Perhaps you should be aware of who you're dealing with," he said.

"The highest commander of the Holy Orders, also known as 'the man who slays a thousand dragons'," Alex replied. "I have enough information about you, but that isn't necessary after this."

"Very well." He coughed and signalled the knights to back off, even as he lifted his sword that looked like an oversized butcher knife and lowered his stance. "We're about to head to the battlefield at Black Forest; looks like this duel will be a warm-up exercise for my aging body and this _Zanryuutou_."

"Do not be confident of winning!" Immediately he sprung towards Kliff and aimed a flying kick at the old knight. Kliff counterattacked with a huge uppercut slash, and it collided with the kick. Alex was knocked away from Kliff, yet managed to regain control and pounced back at him; this time he avoided the same uppercut and swung the kodachi at Kliff's head. To his surprise, the knight bent over and avoided the attack, and he was hit by a punch that followed after.

"Your art of fighting is very impressive, young man," Kliff spoke, even as Alex crashed on the ground and groaned in pain. The punch on his midsection was hard, and he was trying to get over the pain. "But I would advice you to quit this… meaningless fight."

"No! I will not quit…" he insisted and got back on his feet, still gasping from the injury he had. "Not until I kill you…!" He emitted a battle cry and pounced at Kliff, delivering a series of high-speed swords attack, blindingly aimed at his head. Kliff effortlessly blocked all attack, even when he was forced to step backwards.

"You're exposing yourself to your enemy! REFLEX ROAR!" Kliff suddenly transformed into a fully-grown person and fired a Chi ball at Alex, who was so shocked at the transformation, and sent him flying towards a wall. He crashed, and fell to his knees as he got off the wall, whilst the 'awakened' knight waited with Zanryuutou holstered upon his shoulder. "Young man, forget winning and return to the one who's waiting for you. This is the best suggestion this old knight can say to you," he suggested.

Alex managed to stand back on his feet. Holding his severed midsection, burnt from the intense heat the projectile produced, he glowered at Kliff and tightly held the kodachi, even as his hand was shivering. "Never…! I had promised her to win this fight, and I won't let her smile to disappear!" He screamed a deafening cry and pounced at Kliff, bringing the kodachi in a backhand position.

"I see. You're fighting for someone you really care of, but what's the meaning of it when you've lost this fight in the first place?" Kliff screamed and plunged the Zanryuutou into the ground.

"This… this is!" Several gigantic blades gushed upward from where the sword was plunged into, and caught Alex by surprise. The assassin could not evade and was shredded by the vicious energy blades, yelled out in pain before fell to the road, defeated. He glanced to Kliff who reverted to his form and returned to the knights before stared at the full moon. "I… I've lost…?"

"Not only you were defeated from the outside, but you lost in the inside," Kliff told him. "You're still young, and yet you chose to involve in the crime world. What will become of your most precious one after this? What will happen to you after this? It's up to you to answer."

The knights left. Alex was still lying on his back, not doing anything for a very long time. Badly beaten by the Soul Survivor, and emotionally defeated, he had lost his pride as an assassin and lost his reasons of fighting. Even Kliff's final words before he departed left a great impact on his belief, and he was in delusion.

"Everything… that I've been doing… was useless…?"

Gathering his final strength, he stood on his feet and walked home, bringing along him a humiliation he would never forget. The kodachi was held weakly, almost falling off his hand, yet he kept holding it. He arrived home after a journey he felt had lasted for hours, and Lia was shocked to see him. "Brother Alex! What happened to you?" she asked, even as she approached him. "Brother Alex?"

He stared at the girl so dear to him. Unable to bear his emotion any longer, he fell to his knees and pulled her into his embrace. "Forgive me, Lia… forgive me…" he sobbed. Lia was lost of words and did not know what happen, when she cried in fear. He let her off his arms and turned around, as a group of assassins arrived at their home.

"Lone Wolf, we've received reports of your failure in assassinating the highest commander of the Holy Orders," one of the assassins spoke. "The fundamental principle of the Assassin Guild is 'kill, or be killed' and you chose the second option. Prepare yourself."

"What's the meaning of all this!" he demanded and stood up before he fell back to the ground. The injury had yet to recover, and he was writhing in pain. "Damn it! I've been hurt, and now you want to kill me! Who gave you this damn order!"

"We cannot say who, but as the rule has said, you must die," the assassin spoke, and signalled his comrades to withdraw weapons. "And we'll bring Lia to His Supremacy Zato-One as he ordered, and she will take over your place as an assassin."

"Never…! I will never surrender her to you people…!" he gasped.

The assassin sighed. "Resistance is futile. Kill him." The rest of them complied to the order and pounced at him. He held the kodachi and was ready to fight back when he suddenly shivered. His eyes were shining brightly, and a sight of a blood-crazed killer started to appear from them. The assassins were backed off when a murderous glare was looking at them.

Then, without warning, Alex pounced at the assassins, slaying them in one go as he screamed in bloodlust. He was not satisfied and took one of the slain body, before he proceeded to stab it repeatedly with the kodachi while screaming crazily, craving for massacre. The assassin from earlier were backed off in fear, never expecting himself to face a blood-driven murderer went amok. He ran away, yet he was outrun by Alex and was beheaded. Alex screamed again and slashed the body into pieces, bathing in blood as he did.

The massacre halted. Alex was soaked in blood, and his eyes were still burning in lust, craving for more blood. Lia was too terrified at what had happened before her eyes, yet she braved herself to approach him. Alex turned to her, dropped the kodachi, and knelt before her, allowing her to walk close to him. He stared at the young girl for a while before reached for her cheek and cupped it with his bloodstained hand. "Brother Alex… what have you done… to this people…?" she asked, even as she tried to overcome her fear of blood.

Silent as he was, he placed a kiss upon her forehead and stood back. "I… can no longer stay here…" He took back the kodachi, turned around, and walked away from the scene. Later he halted and gave Lia his final gaze. "Farewell, Lia… and I'm sorry…"

x-x-x-x-x

"I left Lia, never to return to her again. What I had faced, and what I had felt, was enough for me alone to carry on, and I dared not to share them with her, fearing that she would be saddened to see her brother like this. Then I received the news of her death from the tumour. I was devastated, because at that time I knew that the tumour was at its chronic state, and yet no one wanted to do something about it. The Guild was to blame, so I decided to avenge her death by killing everyone at the city's headquarters. Valentino wasn't there, and I was disappointed for not able to kill him, yet it was enough for me to tell the Guild not to mess with us. I had decided to leave the Guild, vowing never to trust anyone after that. Yet life was an irony."

"How so?"

"Months after I lived an fugitive life, I found myself facing Kliff again. But instead of exacting his revenge against me, he offered me a place in the Holy Orders as a knight. I rejected the offer and told him of what happened months earlier. But he just said, _'you're young, and you're bound to make mistakes. But it's young people like you who are easily taught and guided, and I'm sure God will forgive you for all your sins'_. I cried after hearing that and told him that all I received from people was only rejection, not sympathy, and not deserved to have mercy from anyone. Yet he just smiled and assured me that everything would be alright if I accepted the offer and served the God as a Holy Knight."

"And then you served the Holy Orders as their knight, right?"

"Yes, Miss Ciel. But again, I found myself mistreated by the knights. They rejected me, they despised me, they avoided me, and they feared me. Just because I was an assassin who had killed many of their friends doesn't mean I have to be unfairly treated; even Ky was among those who disbelieved in me, and don't get me started about Sol. Only a handful of knights trusted and believed me, and Logan was among them."

"That reminds me. Valentino said something about hunting season while I was still working with him, but I had no idea of what that was."

" Logan is right. I met him as well, and he forewarned me of the hunting season in the next ten days. I don't know who will be involved other than me alone since the hunters were eager to hunt me down, but I fear that the rest of us is going to be…"

"Alex-_kun_, you mean…"

Silent. The people were staring at Alex who just became silent. Three hours had passed since he started narrating his past life, and they had not noticed it even slightly.

"I-I think I'll make some cakes for all of you," Hisui spoke and excused herself.

"Let me help you, _oneechan_," Illiya offered and followed her to the kitchen. "Saber-_chan_, _oniichan_, will you help us?"

"Alright, alright," Shirou replied and excused himself to follow Illiya and Hisui to the kitchen, with Saber walking beside him.

The rest of them excused themselves to settle with their matters, leaving Alex and Sion at the living room alone. Neither of them was saying anything, and just remained silent. Then Sion broke off the unwanted quiet. "I'm sorry to hear that, Alex," she apologized and slowly took his hand. "I never thought to hear such things from you. I'm so sorry."

"Miss Sion…" he called out the name and held her hand in return. "It was nothing… it was nothing compared to all pains I had to endure for the passing ten years… the double-crossing act the Assassins' Guild had done against me, the betrayal I had faced in the Holy Orders, the loss of the only family I had in the whole world… everything was too painful to me…" He broke into tears and cried. "Am I… not worthy of living as a human at all? Am I too sinful that I have to endure this solitude?"

Sympathy came upon her. Sion rested his head upon her chest and softly patted his scalp. "Alex, please… you aren't what you're thinking," she whispered, even as she hushed his broken heart with a soft pat on his back. "Nobody's going to say this and that about you, and nobody's going to hurt or make you cry anymore. So please, don't be like this. Okay?"

"Miss Sion…" That was all he said as he let the young Atlasian scion comfort him, not aware of the residents who were watching at them.

"So what do you think?" Arcueid asked, as she and Ciel were watching at the couple from the staircase.

"I think it'd be the best if we leave them for a while," Ciel answered. "And I'm thinking of asking Lone Wolf-_kun_ what he knows about this affair. And if I'm lucky, I may get the chance to have a talk with Mr. and Mrs. Rage; they must know at least a thing or two about Alex-_kun_ and his affair with the Assassin Guild."

"Sounds like a plan," Arcueid replied before scratched her chin. "Hunting season in ten days… if what Alex said is true, then…"

Ciel just corrected her eyeglasses. "We're in deep trouble, Arcueid."

x-x-x-x-x

Valentino was inside the room, examining his collection of swords from various eras, while cleaning one of the swords with cleaning agent. He was busy with preparations for the hunting day, and had issued orders to the society's elite squadrons to prepare for the upcoming event.

The door was knocked. He stopped his works and let the knocker to come in. "Please excuse the interruption, but I'd like to have a couple of words with you," Longbow said as he stepped into the room.

"Ah, Longbow, how surprising," Valentino spoke and hung the cleaned sword on the wall. "What matters you want to speak of?"

"It's about Lone Wolf." The archer gave out a cough and corrected his battle armour. "We don't mind if we have to wait, but why ten days?" Longbow asked while reloading his crossbow. "Isn't it considered to be too long for both us and our opponent to prepare everything needed?"

Valentino approached his chair and sat on it. "Sun Tzu had said over thousands of years ago to know your enemy," he spoke as he put away the cloth. "And I want the hunters to know their prey first, or success will be far from reach."

The archer just nodded and holstered the crossbow upon his shoulder. "If that's the case, I too want to know my enemy."

"Where do you think you're going, Longbow?" Valentino asked.

"Of course, to meet the one we're going to hunt. Just a little bit of introduction, and then I leave." He gave Valentino a salute and left the room, waving as he did.

Valentine watched in intrigue at the archer before shrugged and leaned against the chair. He deeply stared a the empty ceiling, before stood back and approached the window. He stared at the moonlit sky before shrugged and closed the curtains. "In ten days…" he pondered and walked out of the room.


	9. Chapter 09: Broken Arrow

**Heart of the Melting Blood  
Legend of the Moonlight  
Written and conceived by:** Lone Wolf NEO

Lone Wolf NEO does not own any of all the games or anime or manga featured in this story, but he owns the copyright to all his original ideas in this fiction. Lone Wolf would really appreciate it if readers do not plagiaries everything inside this story without his knowledge.

**Chronological Note:** _Heart of the Melting Blood: Legend of the Moonlight_ takes place scarcely half a year after the event in _Heart of the Melting Blood RELOADED,_ and currently runs roughly in parallel with _Guilty Gear: the World within and Without_ written and created by Sheo Darren. This story takes place in the TYPE MOON universe, and happens at Misaki Town where the events of_ Shingetsusan Tsukihime_ once took place.

**Chapter 9  
Broken Arrow**

"I… I'm a Gear."

Alex was startled. This woman, who had saved him from despair, was a Gear? Was he facing another truth he had long tried to forget and run away from? Was he again put into a test by God to prove his devotion to His teachings? Or was he merely fooled into believing in a fact he should not face in the first place?

"Stay away from her!" Both of them were startled and turned around. Alex frowned at who he saw: a man in Gothic-styled fashion carrying an oversized scythe, who was standing beside a tree not far from the altar. He was staring at him in a vengeful sight, and the hand that was holding the hilt of the scythe was tightened.

"Testament?" Dizzy spoke, surprised by the presence of the man.

"You know him, Dizzy?" Alex asked, even as he reached for Black Sabbath that was put on the bench.

"Yes, he's my guardian," she calmly told him. "He's been away from this place for a couple of day, and he told me that he'd be coming back here tomorrow. But why is he here now?"

"Stay away from her, you damn dirty human!" the man named Testament screamed and dashed toward him. Alex immediately jumped away from him and opened a battle stance, while the Goth person backed Dizzy. "What are you trying to do to her! Speak quickly!"

"I did nothing to her," he answered and was promptly attacked. He had to block the oncoming scythe attack and backed off even further. "I have told you the truth! I did not do anything harmful to her!"

"Lie! Then why were you grapping her arms? You harmed her, didn't you?" Testament replied.

"I did not harm her!" he shouted.

"Then I shall exterminate you! Come forth, EXE Beast!" Subsequent to that, a pair of monsters arose from the ground and rushed their way toward Alex. The black knight jumped away from the beasts before found himself entangled by web suspended in the air. The Goth man screamed, "Grave Digger!" and knocked him to the ground with a swing from the scythe. Alex got back on his feet, only to be grabbed on his neck. "Die, human!" Testament screamed and tossed him far away. Alex crashed on a pile of woods near the altar, shaken and dizzied, and tried to regain his conscious.

Then something abnormal happened. He suddenly choked and gasped hoarsely for air. His vision blurred, and his head started to shake violently. His mind was still not affected, and he realized that he had been poisoned after an irritating aroma seeped into his nose. He looked forward and saw Testament walking toward him in a vengeful eye, and he was unable to do anything to stop the Goth man.

"Testament, stop it!" The Goth man stopped and turned around. An angry pair of eyes was glowering at him, and their owner was trampling toward him. "Why are you hurting him? He's already injured! Don't do anything worse to him!"

"But Dizzy, he was hurting you!" Testament insisted.

"He didn't! Why would you jump into conclusions so quickly?" Dizzy demanded, even as her eyes started to swell in tears. She quickly approached Alex and assisted him. "He's been poisoned! Testament, do something! I beg of you, please!" she pleaded and told him to calm down.

The Goth man knelt beside them and put a hand on Alex's chest, and removed the poison that was seeping through his body. He was healed, although his head was still dizzied. "I'd left you to meet your death here if it wasn't for Dizzy, human," Testament told him and walked back to the forest.

"The name is Alex, and I was a knight," Alex shouted. It was enough to make Testament stop and stare at him. "I don't know why you hate human or have grudge against them, but I'm not here to cause you or her any trouble. I just…"

"Then leave before things become worse," Testament warned and finally left.

He frowned at the answer. Leave? It would be the last option for him, as he had nowhere else to go. He was rejected by humanity, and his presence was a nuisance in their eyes. Where else he should go if he had to leave the forest?

"Please, sir, don't be upset," he heard Dizzy begging to him. "Testament isn't like what you had seen. I'm sure he'll let you stay here for a while."

"But my presence had angered him," Alex answered and held his head. "Am I not worthy to exist in the first place? I have nowhere else to go, and people hate me wherever I go. I…"

He was startled. She was holding his hand, and her eye gaze was warm and soothing. "But I don't. I know nothing of what happened between you and the people, but I don't hate you. In fact," she spoke, as a generous smile carved upon her face, "I'm so happy to see you coming here. It's so lonely over here, and Testament seldom talks to me. So I think it'd be convenient if we could become friends."

"Friends? You want to befriend me, a knight who betrayed his responsibility to mankind and chose to defend his most detested enemy of all?" he asked.

Her smile widened. "Of course, because you are a good person," she answered.

x-x-x-x-x

Alex woke up. Again, the dream disturbed his sleep, and he was becoming displeased. Yet it was an intriguing dream; it was as if it was telling him of a past he had forgotten. Lazily he lifted his hand and stared at it. It felt so real, he pondered, the warmth the woman in the dream gave him was felt so real that he thought he wasn't dreaming at all. "And she even said I was a good person. I… I felt so unworthy to become one."

Sleep came upon him again. Slowly he dozed off, and slumped in the warmth of the blanket. Unaware of him, Ren appeared and sat next to him, and contently stared at him. As slowly as she could, she put her hand on his forehead and began patting it.

She turned around. The door was opened, and Shiki was walking into the room. "You decide to accompany him tonight, Ren?" he asked as he approached the bed. She just nodded and turned back to Alex, still unaware that he was visited by the heir of the Tohno clan. "I have no ideas that he'd be forced to face his past. I'm sure it's a hard situation if someone were to take over his place," he spoke. Ren just nodded and kept patting Alex's forehead.

"Well, anyway, if you still want to stay here for a while, then I'll leave you with him. _Oyasumi_, Ren," Shiki told her and walked back to the door. Ren did not watch at him, as she was busy comforting Alex and his slumber.

x-x

Alex woke up. He was stirred after the long, deep, sleep. He was half-conscious, letting his brain to work up for itself first. He later moved in his laying position and found his head resting upon a supple lap. Bedazzled, he turned around and realized that he was resting -or was rested- upon the warm lap of Ren's. "You… you've been here along the night? I didn't know," he spoke and slowly reached for her face. The girl woke up and smiled to see him, and took his hand. "Good morning, Ren. I… I just hope I didn't make you accompany me last night," he lazily spoke. She shook head as to say 'no' and placed a warm kiss on his forehead. He was startled at the reaction and immediately moved from her. "Wow, I think this is the first time somebody ever gave me a morning kiss," he spoke and rubbed his kissed forehead. Ren giggled and jumped off from the bed, and bowed to him before taking her leave. "That makes my day, at least," he shrugged and jumped off the bed.

x-x-x-x-x

"You're going out, Alex-_san_?" Hisui asked as he stepped out of the mansion.

"Kind of. I wanted to take some fresh air at the park," he said as he corrected his tracksuit.

"Shiki-_sama_ said he wanted to come along with you if you happened to go outside," Hisui told him. "Should I go and tell him now, Alex-_san_?"

"There's no need to, Hisui. I won't be out for long; I'll be home before lunchtime," he said and walked away from her. "I'll be leaving now."

"_Itterasshai_, Alex-_san_," Hisui spoke and bowed to him. Alex waved to her and jogged out of the mansion, running down the roadside pavement. It was weekend, and it was another one day before the hunting season took place. He had told the residents of the mansion that he alone would take care of the Dragoon Society, but Arcueid insisted him to consider asking their assistance. She was not the only one concerned of the judgment day; Saber too expressed her concern of the danger he might faced if he were to fight them alone. Even Sion begged him not to neglect them, and she was the worried of the residents.

He arrived at the park. He looked around and saw no one present at the area. Thinking it was still early in the morning, he went to the lake when he saw the sight of Sion leaning on a lamppost. Curiosity arising, he approached her and found that she was taking a break from jogging. "She doesn't notice me," he pondered and went behind her. He seized her waist and pulled her into his arms, causing her to jump off her feet in surprise. "Surprised to see me, Sion?" he asked and tightly embraced her.

"Don't do that again, Alex!" she cried in shock. "I'd have mistaken you for somebody else."

"What are you doing in the middle of the morning, hmm?" he asked. "I thought you'd still tuck yourself under the blanket at home."

"What? Didn't you see what I'm doing now?" she replied. "And don't ever think of mimicking what Arcueid always does to me, okay?"

He laughed and pulled her closer. "Why should I?"

"Because that's a disgrace," she spoke and leaned into the warmth of his arms. "I don't like being disgraced by people, and I don't like people disgracing me. Unless…"

"Unless?" He was waiting for an answer when she giggled and pulled herself away from his embrace, and turned around to stare at him. "Hey, come on! Where's the answer? I thought you wanted to give it right away."

"Did I?" she said and playfully stuck out her tongue at him. "You know what? I didn't expect to see you being comforted by Ren last night, and you didn't even bother to wake up back then. I'm so jealous to see that."

"Jealousy is the sign of love," he reminded, and received a protesting glower from the scion of the Atlasian family "Aw, that's a fact, Sion. I didn't mean to upset you."

"_Ohayou, oniichan!" _He turned around, ignoring the ever-disgraced Sion, and saw Ayu and Akiko waving at him.

"_Ohayou_, Ayu-_chan_, Akiko-_chan_!" he replied. "What are both of you doing here?"

"We're jogging, since it's good for health," Akiko said. "And what are you doing here, _oniichan_?"

"The same thing you girls are doing," he told them. "I thought it would be boring to sit at home in this hour, so I decided to walk around."

Ayu glanced over and grinned to see Sion, who uneasily waved at her. "Oh-ho. Then are you dating with that _oneechan _at the same time?" she asked.

The question caused Sion to blush. "I'm not dating with him!" she squealed and suppressed her blushing face. "And I have a name, and that's Sion!"

"I'm Ayu," Ayu introduced herself, "and this is Akiko. We're _oniichan's_ students at the kindergarten, and we're also his friends."

"_Hajimemashite_, Sion-_oneechan_," Akiko spoke and bowed to her.

"_Ne_, _oniichan_, can you play with us now?" Ayu asked. "We've wanted to play some games with you since you came to the kindergarten, and we think this is the best time to do so. Can you, _oniichan_?"

"At this wee time?" Alex replied.

"_Mou_, _oniichan_ doesn't want to play with us. He just wants to be alone with his lovey-dovey Sion-_neechan_," Sion blushed furiously at the comment and almost yelled at the girls in anger when Alex told her not to be upset. Ayu smiled afterwards and seized his arm. "But it can't be helped, since you're always busy. We can ask you to play games with us next time," she said and tightly wrapped her arms around it.

"I'm sorry, girls, but I'll try to," he told the girls and embraced Ayu in return. Sion started to get jealous, and pulled him toward her. "Aw, Sion, are you jealous or something?"

"Of course I am, you jerk," she mumbled and hid her embarrassed face.

"Okay. Then we'll leave now. See you tomorrow, _oniichan_!" the girl uttered and ran down the road with Akiko.

"Be careful on the way home!" he shouted and waved to them. He laughed uneasily at the possessive response Sion was showing. "They're just a kid, Sion. You don't have to be overreacted."

"Like I want to," Sion replied and fell onto his body. "Like I want to let you getting hurt tomorrow," she spoke, while clinging onto him very tightly. He said nothing but to pull her into an embrace, cradling her like a mother cradling her precious child. She let herself be held and rested her head on the firmly build body. "Say, Alex…"

"Yes, Sion?" he replied.

"If I can ask, who's the most important person in your life? I… I just want to know," she spoke.

He softly brushed his lips on her scalp. "If I tell you there are four, would you be angry?" he whispered.

"No, of course not," she replied. "How can I ever be angry?"

He cuddled her very closely. "Because I don't want to see you jealous, especially when you're the most important person to me right now."

She smiled at the answer. "Then who are the next three people? I bet that the second and third women are your sister and Hikaru. Right?"

"Yes," he answered, "Lia and Hikaru are also important to me, but I don't know the fourth person."

She lifted her head and stared at him. "Why not?"

"I don't know, Sion," he told her. "It's either I forgot who she was, or…"

Suddenly he pulled her away from his arms. Wary of something, he walked to the middle of the park and looked around him. "I know you're there, whoever you are. Come out now, I don't want to waste any time." It took a few minutes of silence before he heard a rustling noise from nearby bushes. Cautiously he looked to the direction, and saw an archer-hunter walking from the woods, carrying an oversized war crossbow on his shoulder. "I didn't expect to see you here," he spoke, sternly looking at him.

"Why, my presence is merely as a reminder of the upcoming hunting season," the archer-hunter uttered, even as a group of longbow-armed archers appeared from surrounding bushes and approached Alex. "Although I must admit I don't look for trouble for the would-be prey, or asking for one, especially when the said prey happens to be in the middle of a date with a girl."

Sion snapped in embarrassment at the harassing comment and withdrew her lasso. "Don't try me, mister! What do you want from Alex?"

"A quick introductory speech, I believe," the archer-hunter spoke and put down the crossbow. "My name is Joseph Santiago, but everybody in the society calls me Longbow. I bet that you never met me before, but I think you'd heard of Henry."

His eyebrow arched. "Henry? You know him?"

"Henry Santiago is my brother, and he once worked with you in the Holy Orders as a knight," Longbow spoke. "He was the best archer in the orders, and he was the only person my family could be proud of. It was tragic, though, that he had to die for your sake."

"What? I thought he…"

"Have you forgotten the day you were forced to leave the orders?" Longbow demanded. "He was devastated to hear the news of your betrayal that he fell ill. He was permitted to return to our village, but his illness didn't pull through and he passed away shortly afterwards before he could pay you back. He was depressed, Lone Wolf, because you were his closest companion and he put all his trusts on you."

"Then what it has to do with me?" Alex asked.

"It has to do with you," Longbow spoke and aimed the crossbow at him, "because I'm entrusted to pay back everything you had done to him. Everything, including the treachery."

"For God's sake, I didn't betray the Holy Orders!" Alex shouted. "It was them who didn't want to understand me! Why must you blame me on what happened in the past?"

"It's because you were once an assassin and an assassin didn't deserve a place in the orders," Longbow continued. "My brother often told me of how disappointed he was when he was given order by the highest council of the order to befriend you, but he didn't show it to you because of his trust toward you. You should be grateful to have a friend who understood you all the time, but you didn't. You pretended that he was, but you turned your back against him in the end. How shameful of that."

Alex was disoriented by the words. He tried to tell himself that he was hearing lies, yet it was too true to be denied. He started to lose control of himself when Sion begged him to get over it. "Don't say anything…! Don't say anything!" he begged, whilst she told him to calm down.

"And you would think I'd just sit and do nothing, Lone Wolf?" Longbow demanded. "No; not until I finished up what my brother left. Not until you repent all mistakes you have committed."

Alex said nothing. He just stared at the archer-hunter, whilst his hand reached for Black Sabbath despite the disorientation he was suffering. The rest of the archers aimed their weapons at the black knight, ready to release their arrows under their commander's order. "Then what will you do once I repent all the sins I had made?" he finally asked.

"Then I'll spare your life," Longbow spoke and lowered the crossbow. "However that doesn't mean the rest of us will, not even Mistress Lia and Echo. Remember, Lone Wolf, that your judgment day has yet to come." He later turned his sight to Sion. "By the way, it'd be rude if I didn't ask your name before I take my leave, Miss…"

"Sion," she answered. "Sion Eltnam Atlasia."

"Miss Sion, that's a beautiful name," Longbow spoke and bowed to her. "We shall meet again, Miss Sion. Farewell."

The archer-hunter left. Alex just watched, as the group disappeared in the midst of the night. He let go off Black Sabbath and fell on his knees, cursing himself for the encounter he did not want to face. It was yet another past he tried to forget, and consequently failed to do so. It was too much for him, and he broke into tears.

"I wish I knew what sins I had done to them," he whimpered, even as Sion embraced him and gave him a soothing rub on his back. "I wish I could go back to the past and rewind everything… this is too much for me to face…"

"Please, Alex, I'm still with you," she whispered. "Don't believe in what he's told you, he's trying to weaken you. Fight it, Alex; I know you can." He said nothing and clung onto her very tightly, as he kept whimpering and sobbing. Sion could do nothing but to keep soothing him, while wondering of the kind of judgment he would take tomorrow.

x-x-x-x-x

"How was the meeting?" Spike asked as Longbow entered the room.

"It was easy, I must say. And I believe I have found the key of ensuring the success of the judgment day," Longbow said and sat next to Echo.

"Oh, that sounds interesting," Spike uttered as he polished his rapier. "What is the key? Care to tell us about it?"

"The lone wolf has a weakness," Longbow spoke and leaned against the chair. "It's a woman named Sion, and I believe she is his girlfriend. She seems to be a good woman in my eyes, but other than her relationship with him, I know very little about her."

There was an abrupt noise across the room. The three judges looked at the source of the noise and saw Lia standing up from the rug. "I am sorry, but I must leave for training," the woman in _miko_ uniform apologized and walked out of the room.

"Now look at that," Spike snorted. "I think she's jealous to hear that. Does she have a complex toward her brother?"

"You'd be dead if Mistress hears you, Spike," Longbow reminded.

"Hah, like I want to care," he insisted.

x-x

Lia was angry. The word Sion was irking, and the word 'girlfriend' further added in her jealousy. The spear she was holding was rattling, and she immediately slammed it onto the wall. Several staffs that were walking nearby were freaked out and distanced themselves away from the young woman. She pulled back the spear and calmed down, although her heart was still throbbing in jealousy at the Sion person.

"Nobody can take him away from me," she whispered, "not even her…!"


	10. Chapter 10: Moonlit Flame of Justice

**Heart of the Melting Blood  
Legend of the Moonlight  
Written and conceived by:** Lone Wolf NEO

Lone Wolf NEO does not own any of all the games or anime or manga featured in this story, but he owns the copyright to all his original ideas in this fiction. Lone Wolf would really appreciate it if readers do not plagiaries everything inside this story without his knowledge.

**Chronological Note:** _Heart of the Melting Blood: Legend of the Moonlight_ takes place scarcely half a year after the event in _Heart of the Melting Blood RELOADED_, and currently runs roughly in parallel with _Guilty Gear: the World within and Without_ written and created by Sheo Darren. This story takes place in the TYPE MOON universe, and happens at Misaki Town where the events of _Shingetsusan Tsukihime_ once took place.

**Chapter 10  
Moonlit Flame of Justice**

He was silent, sitting idly at the centre of the training hall. Alex, the lone wolf of the Holy Orders, was in the middle of a meditation. He was preparing himself, physically and mentally, for the judgment day that would take place anytime. Already wearing his black knight uniform, he was calmly concentrating on the upcoming duel with his sister he expected to ensue. He was neither worried of himself, or concerned of his destiny that would come. He was anxious whether the 'hunting season' would affect the people he had now vowed to protect, or involve those he wished not to see getting hurt. The Black Sabbath –a sword entrusted to him by his master- was laid in front of him, and he was certain the sword would understand the complicated situation its master had to face.

Then a flashback of memory knocked the door of his mind. It was of Sion, the woman he owed everything, and she was disgraced over his decision to fight the judges alone. In reality, he needed her to stay beside him in fighting his enemy, yet he realized he would expose her to danger if he let her to involve. He also knew if Sion was to become witness of the sibling war, she would be devastated by the outcome that followed.

x-x

"_But you can't fight her! She's your sister, Alex!"_

"_I know, Sion, but I have to. If I don't go, I fear that everybody else in here would be involved. I can't let that happen."_

"_Isn't there any other way? There has to be something else you can do."_

"_I wish there is. However… if this is what I have to face, then I will. Even if I have to kill her."_

"_Alex, no! Please, don't do it. She's… she's an important person to you, isn't she? You love her so much, how could you do… such thing."_

"_I… I know, and I'm sorry."_

"_Don't say sorry to me! Why you'd have to do this? Why?"_

"_I can't tell you that, Sion. I… just can't."_

x-x

The clock struck - twelve times. "It's time." Slowly he stood up, took Black Sabbath and walked out of the hall. He headed to the garden, where full moon was shining brightly in the sky, lighting up the darkness of the night and silhouetting every inch of the environment. He did not bother of the nature's silver coin; all that mattered to him was to prevent the hunters from claiming its prey.

He waited. And waited. And waited. And yet there was no sign of the judges or the hunters. He was getting restless and suspicious; were they intending to play with his patience, by not revealing themselves for a period of time?

A whistling voice caught his ear. He turned around; just in time an arrow flew from nowhere and headed toward his head. Easily he caught the arrow and found a scroll attached to it. Curious, he took the scroll and found that it was a letter written in hand.

"_Mistress Lia is waiting for you at the hill outside the city. Meet her if you want to finish this matter. And do not let anyone follow you, or their life will be in danger. Sign, Longbow."_

The letter was crushed, and tossed to the ground. He clenched his fist, said nothing then breathed out. If this is what the Dragoon Society wanted, he thought, he will show them what it takes to become a black feather. He nodded; it was time to go, and he left the mansion.

Little did he knew, that he was followed by a dark shadow…

x-x

It was only a short trip from the Tohno mansion to the hill, but he felt like he had been running for hours to reach the place. He was racing against time; he knew if he wasn't there on time, he would jeopardize the lives of his newfound companions. He had sworn to himself he would finish the hunting season by himself, even if he had to put his life at risk. He swore to stop the judgment day from happening, for the sake of the people who believed in him.

He arrived at the hill, and looked around for tell-tale sign of the judges. It did not take him a long time when he spotted a woman standing at the edge of cliff. It was an unmistakable sight: the long, sapphire hair that was shun by the full moon, the blue and white shrine maiden outfit that matched her perfectly, and the lance she was holding tightly. Her azure eyes were shining sadly and coldly, and he wanted to know the meaning behind the gloomy sight.

"Lia." Immediately the woman turned to him. "I… I'm here as the letter said. Tell me, is there anything I can do as your brother?"

She was staring at him sadly. "Brother Alex… I… I just want both of us to be together," she uttered. "Just like… the days we used to be…"

"But why must you do this? Why must you join the Dragoon Society?" he demanded. "What things I did that have broken your heart? Tell me, Lia, what have I done that make you disappointed?"

"I don't want to do this, but I have to!" she cried, even as she tried to remain calm albeit tears that started to stream down her cheeks. "I have to do this for you… Brother Alex…"

The answer irked him. "By executing justice on those who know nothing of this? By allowing blood to be shed? By letting the people to suffer? By doing all of these, you expect us to be reunited? You've got it wrong, Lia! You've got the whole idea wrong!"

"Don't tell me what is wrong and what is right, brother Alex! I know what I'm doing!" she replied and frowned. "Ever since you left… I was wondering whether I had done anything useful for you. I had been thinking whether I was a bother for you because of the illness I had. Then Uncle Valentino… he told me that I could be reunited with you, but only if I agree to serve the Dragoon Society." The young woman, then, lifted her head and stared deeply at him. "Ten years have passed ever since, and I've been waiting for this day to come. And now you refuse to see me again? Why can't you try to understand my feeling? Why, brother Alex? Is it… is it because of the woman you call Sion?"

"Lia, don't misunderstand everything! She isn't like what you think! She's just a friend of mine," he insisted.

Her eyes were lit up in anger. "Then why Longbow told me about your love affair with her? You… you horrible! I hate you!"

He was startled. Never before in his life, would he be called horrible by his own sister. He never expected to hear such words from the person so important to him that he once would die to protect her smile. He never believed that she would change so much into detesting and hating her brother. "It can't be helped… right? It can't be helped, this battle between two siblings…" he sighed in low voice.

He lifted his head. Lia was now pointing the lance at his face, with an angry expression only she knew why she was making it. "Very well, Lia. If you insist to," he uttered and withdrew Black Sabbath.

"You are going to be captured. Prepare yourself, Lone Wolf," coldly she spoke and spun the lance. Subsequent to that, Echo and a ninja appeared next to her, who immediately opened their battle stance, and Alex responded by opening his own. The three warriors were waiting for cue sign of battle, even as wind started to blow across the grassland.

"Let's go."

The two judges jumped away from Lia, and pounced toward Alex. One of them, the ninja named Blaze, withdrew his katana and aimed it at Alex. The black feather immediately repelled the oncoming attack, whilst simultaneously evaded an uppercut punch given out by Echo. He jumped as to escape their next attacks and tossed several shurikens to slow them down. Echo ignored the projectiles and jumped toward him and aimed her knuckles at him, while screaming a loud battle cry. Alex parried all the punches she executed and counterattacked with a flip kick that sent her crashing on the ground.

"Lone Wolf!" He turned around and immediately snatched a flying kick given out by Blaze. He braced himself for a while then tossed the ninja back to Echo who was getting back on her feet. Both of the judges were sent flying away from him and crashed next to Lia. Alex jumped to the ground and waited for the judges to make their next moves.

"As expected from the ex-assassin who once served the Holy Orders," Lia spoke. "To be able to single-handedly defeat two of the best Great Judges, you are truly a force to reckon with."

"This is just a part of it, Mistress, and I'd be glad to show you more," Alex replied.

Lia grinned at the answer. "However will the lone wolf be able to face the hounds that are eager to devour their prey?" she spoke and waved her hand in the air. In less than seconds, ninjas and assassins jumped from their covers and surrounded Alex en masse. The black knight wasn't intimidated by the massive number of his enemies and calmly positioned his steps, spinning Black Sabbath in his hand as he did.

"AHA! Numbers aren't alone to ensure the success of this judgment day, everyone!" Alex looked above and saw a mechanical crawler appearing above his head. The ninjas and assassins fled as to give space to the oncoming vehicle, leaving the lone wolf in the path of the crawler. He teleported, just before the crawler crashed and landed far from the impact zone. He snorted; has another judge arrived?

"You're very late, Doctor Getter," Lia said. "We could've used your service had you arrived here earlier."

The owner of the name, who later appeared from inside the crawler on top of a platform, laughed. "My apology, Mistress, but I must first feed this baby, or it will complain and demand for food," he spoke as he corrected his eyepiece. "Speaking of food, I think we have a nice dessert for tonight."

"Who are you anyway?" Alex demanded, as he was surrounded again by the soldiers.

"Fool! You have never heard of the famous Doctor Lens Getter, the greatest scientist to roam the whole planet?" the scientist spoke aloud.

"Not the kind of scientist who has a weird obsession toward machinery," he replied, warily looking around him.

The scientist laughed at the answer and corrected his eyepiece again. "I don't think I'd like to start an argument over who I am, for I have been entrusted by commander Valentino to assist Mistress Lia and her comrades." The mechanical crawler roared as to support its master, and Doctor Getter proudly laughed to himself. "Even Metal Widow agrees with me, that today is will be the most remembered day for us and Dragoon Society. Lone Wolf, I believe, you must prepare yourself because the end of your life is now!"

The crawler named Metal Widow, as well as the soldiers, pounced at Alex, forcing him to jump away from them. He flew over Metal Widow when a group of assassins chased him and fired handguns at him. He dodged all the bullets fired at him when a ninja appeared behind him and tried to catch him. He knocked the ninja away, who was sent toward the attacking assassins, and landed on the back of Metal Widow. Things became awfully biased for the lone warrior as Longbow and his band of archers arrived at the battleground and rained the area with arrows. Even Spike and his legion of swordsmen arrived, and things became even more complicated for him.

Doctor Getter laughed maniacally, as he commanded Metal Widow to block Alex's route while the soldiers surrounded him and denied him of any escape attempt. "Surrender yourself, Lone Wolf! Your time is up!" he demanded and pointed to Alex's face. "You can never, and will never, escape alive! We're going to send you to your grave! Say your last prayers!"

"Not so fast!" A barrage of knives appeared from the thin air, and Echo and Blaze were forced to abort their dual attack. Alex tried to locate the attacker and saw a black shadow standing on top of a tree. He knew the black shadow, and he knew it too well.

"Nobody's going to bully Alex-_kun_ in the name of justice, Great Judges of the Dragoon Society," Ciel pronounced and withdrew her key blades. "Not today, not tomorrow, not forever."

"Just who are you this time?" Doctor Getter roared.

"We are Alex's friends, and we're here to stop the judgment day from taking place," another voice came out. It was Shirou, and he arrived with the band of Servants. "Whether you want to believe it or not, it's up to you. But we won't let you hurt him, not even a touch of finger."

"You dare challenging me? I, the great Doctor Lens Getter, shall make your day suffer!" the scientist screamed and commanded Metal Widow to strike at the newcomers. One of the Servants, Berserk, jumped forward and blocked the crawler's huge pincer, enduring the heavy impact he received. The scientist was angered and commanded the soldiers to change their focus on the newcomers.

"Everybody split up! The battle will be easier after we manage to reduce their numbers!" Ciel shouted, even as she jumped to avoid an assassin's attack.

"Got it! Saber, let's go," Shirou spoke and jumped into the battlefield. Saber nodded and followed him closely from behind, while the rest of the Servants split up to take care of the Dragoon militias. Ciel landed next to Alex who was fending off a TAG attack by Echo and Blaze, grabbed his collar and carried him to safety.

"Why the hell are you here, Miss Ciel? I didn't remember asking your help," Alex demanded.

"Whether you asked us for help or not, it isn't our concern. Right now, we're here to help you fighting those judges," Ciel spoke and opened her stance.

"I alone can fight them! You stay out of my way!" Alex insisted, even as Echo appeared above him and tried to aim her knuckle at his head. Just then, a slipstream of razor-sharp air slipped through and knocked the monk off.

"Where are you looking at?" Alex looked at the direction of the voice and saw the familiar sight of Arcueid, who was giving a 'peace' sign at him.

"_Mou_, you're so late, and yet you act like you're always the first," Ciel mumbled.

Arcueid just laughed silly. "Come on, it's been a while."

"Since we last fought over Tohno-_kun_? That was the thing of the past, Arcueid," the Vatican agent replied and blocked a ninja's flying kick. "Alex-_kun_, leave the judges to us. You go and deal with Lia now."

"But Miss Ciel!" Alex protested.

"There's no time for argument, Alex-_kun_, and I don't want to quarrel with you right now," Ciel insisted and jumped into the battlefield. Arcueid squealed in dismay and followed her track, knocking out several of the Dragoon soldiers as she ran across the field. Alex tried to call them back yet they were already engaged in fierce duels to even listen to him.

"Mister Alex, yes?" He turned around and was greeted by a violet-haired woman in blindfold.

"Who might you be?" he asked.

"My name is Rider, and I am entrusted by my master to assist you," she spoke and bowed to him. He was about to say something when a band of ninjas ambushed them. Immediately Rider swung her chained mace and knocked several ninjas away, leaving one of them to Alex who easily punched him out. Another band of ninjas ambushed them from the south, and this time a string shoot trapped them midair.

"Alex! Are you alright?" along came Sion's voice, as she ran down the grassland.

"Sion! You're here, too?" he demanded.

"There's no time for questions," Sion replied and withdraw a strand of lasso. "Let us help you. You know you can't do this alone, can you?"

A loud battle cry echoed in the midnight sky. The three warriors looked above and saw yet another band of assassins leaping towards them. Piqued by the constant interference he had to endure, Alex screamed a very loud battle cry that Sion and Rider were almost deafened, spun Black Sabbath rapidly in his hand, and pounced at the assassins. "You lowlifes are dead!" he roared and dashed past the assassins. Stunned in the open air, it was as if they were suspended by invisible threads that later cut through their bodies. The assassins turned into body pieces at the same time Alex landed on the ground, blade in backhand position. Idle as he was, he slowly stood up and glanced at the advancing swordsmen. "Come on forward, if you don't value your life anymore," he taunted and pointed the kodachi to the swordsmen.

"Get him!" Subsequent to that the swordsmen leaped forward and tried to attack him en masse. The black feather disappeared from sight and reappeared behind the enemies, before went to counterattack them. The situation turned chaotic, as the swordsmen tried to defend themselves from the merciless onslaught. Sion and Rider tried to assist, only to find themselves facing a warrior on bloodlust and they too were attacked.

"We have to keep ourselves away from him," Rider suggested after they jumped away to safety. "He's too dangerous to approach right now."

"But Alex is outnumbered! He can't defeat those soldiers alone!" Sion insisted.

"He might be, but I've heard of a terrible story from Saber," Rider spoke and looked at the berserk Alex. "She told me of a strand of warriors who were feared in the past for their… terrifying Warrior Berserk."

"Warrior Berserk?" Sion replied. "But why?"

"It was said that once a warrior would attain Berserk status, he would lose his common sense and think of nothing but a lust for blood," Rider spoke, warily looking back at the battlefield. "I thought it was only a legend, but after I saw him like that, I'm afraid the story might have a true basis."

They heard a deafening cry from the battlefield. They turned around, and saw Alex grapping one of the swordsmen while standing on a pile of dead bodies. He was laughing maniacally and stabbed the swordsman's chest, pulled out his heart and tossed it away. He laughed again and sliced the limp body into many pieces, and was later soaked in his prey's blood. Sion covered her mouth in horror at what she saw.

The knight halted. His face, body and suit were soaked in blood, and the Black Sabbath was coated with thick layer of human fat. From the animalistic breath, he was not satisfied with the slaughter and demanded for more blood. He turned to Sion, who was staring at him in disbelief, and turned away.

"Lone Wolf, you must pay for everything!" He turned around and saw Longbow aiming his crossbow at him. He merely stood there, not bothering arrow salvoes the archer-hunter fired at him. He disappeared as the arrows rained his place and reappeared behind Longbow, who could not prepare for such counterattack.

"Are you awake in your sleep?"

A slipstream of air that passed through his chest to bring Longbow down. The archer-hunter screamed in pain and tried to gain his sense when he was grabbed on the neck. "You insist to meet your brother, don't you?" Alex spoke and tightened his grab on Longbow's neck.

"Lone Wolf…! Don't… there are some misunderstandings about my brother," Longbow begged and choked for the want of air. "I didn't mean to accuse you for his death. I…"

"Misunderstanding?" Alex replied with a mocking grin. "Then you're telling me that there's been misunderstanding because I was to be blamed over Henry's death?" Then he laughed maniacally and crushed Longbow's throat. "You're the one who refuses to understand! For that, you shall die!" Longbow was unable to speak his last word and fell dead to the knight. Alex tossed the lifeless body to the ground and stared at his bloodstained palm. He rugged and glanced to his left. His prime enemy -his own sister- was not moving, horrified by the sudden death of the judge. A wicked smile appeared on his scarred face. "You're going to follow Longbow, aren't you?" he asked.

"Why…?" Lia asked, and was promptly attacked. She managed to knock Alex away with her lance and jumped to safety. "Why must you kill him! He has nothing to do with both of us!" Again, she was attacked –and this time, there was no room for counterattack as she had to block all of the knight's attacks.

"Both of us?" he replied and pushed her across the field. "I don't think so. He's an enemy, and he must die. The same will happen to you." He kicked Lia in the shin and pounced at her in his Sleeping Awake pose. Lia rolled to her left, evaded the attack and counterattacked with a stab. It missed, and she was grabbed on the nape of her neck. Alex had overpowered her, and was prodding Black Sabbath on her back. "Like I said earlier, the same will happen to you," he growled.

"NO!" Lia cried and stabbed the back of the lance on Alex's midsection. He was knocked off, and Lia immediately slashed the lance across his face. He cried out in pain and stepped several feet backward and Lia took the chance to call several assassins for backup. She waited, and gasped as the black feather looked back at her. The attack had struck across his face, and had hit both of his eyes. He was deeply under control of Warrior's Berserk, thus he was not suffering from the injury; he merely put his hand over his damaged eyes and closed them shut.

"Great, this is just too great," he mumbled and screamed in bloodlust. "I shall kill you for this!"

x-x

Saber was facing Spike, the prime swordsman of the Dragoon Society. She was not afraid of fighting the judge, nor intimidated with his appearance. She was merely amused to be fighting a human warrior, which she had never done along her life as Shirou's entrusted Servant.

Spike turned around and grumbled at what he saw. "Damn, Longbow's down," he cursed. "And I'm too busy fighting a female knight to assist Mistress right now."

"Hey, look over here," Saber demanded. Spike turned to her and shrugged in fun. "What's so funny about? I didn't remember asking you to laugh!"

"I'm merely amused," Spike spoke and spun the rapier, "to see the lone wolf actually having friends, though I admit they're the strangest league to exist. It's ironic, isn't it? A lone wolf is supposed to roam the land in solitude."

"Perhaps you might need to learn a bit or two," Saber replied and withdrew her sword. "But before that, I need to ask you a few questions about him."

"Oh? Go ahead, then. You know, I'd love to have conversation with people like you," Spike replied, though he did not lower his defence. "So, what are you going to ask?"

"Do you have any grudge or revenge against Alex?" Saber asked. "Your former comrade Rage told me before we left that each of the Judges has their own reason to face him."

"Oh, that? Let me think for a while," he replied and scratched his forehead with the blunt tip if the rapier. "Let's see… Longbow wanted to avenge his brother's death; Rage wanted to finish his business with Lone Wolf, and Echo wanted to know who killed her fiancé ten years ago. As for me, Lens and Blaze, we want to fight him simply because we want to know how capable he is."

"That's all? Well, I guess Alex doesn't have to worry about you guys," Saber spoke and pointed the sword at Spike's face.

"Miss, please, our job is to ensure that the judgment day will be accomplished today," Spike spoke and resumed his stance. "You might miss some of the vital points. For instance, why Mistress Lia picked the six of us when she knew she could face him on her own." He immediately jumped forward and swung the rapier at Saber's head, and the swordswoman effortlessly blocked the attack.

"So? Does it have anything to do with you?" she replied and kicked Spike away.

"How should I know? She never tells us," he spoke and stabbed Saber's chest, only to be deflected by body armour she was wearing. "But what do I know is Mistress has a complex towards her own brother," he said as he repelled a counterattack.

Saber blinked in surprised. "She has a brother complex? You've got to be kidding me."

"Ask her for yourself if you don't believe in me," Spike said and grabbed Saber's armour, before tossing her to Shirou. "Wow, I never thought to win this fight this easily. Is this all the so-called Servant has? Come on, Miss! Why don't you fight harder?"

Saber grumbled and got back on her feet. "You're playing rough, and I don't like that," she spoke.

Spike chuckled to hear the response. "Oh, really? Then I guess I'd have to be more careful next time," he said.

x-x-x-x-x

The sibling battle had lasted for two hours. Neither Alex nor Lia was showing any sign of submission. Being under full control of Warrior's Berserk, the knight was thinking of nothing but to kill his enemy, ignoring Sion and Rider who tried to stop him from continuing his senseless carnage.

"I'm going to kill you, Mistress," Alex spoke as he pushed Lia to the edge of the cliff. "I'm going to put an end of this judgment day once and for all, and there's no better way than to kill you."

"I will not surrender to the likes of you!" Lia replied. "The judgment must be carried out, and I will not step back!"

"Really? Even if you have to face the death of your own brother?" he sarcastically asked.

"You're not my brother!" she replied and pushed him away from her. "Brother Alex wouldn't do mindless thing such as killing, and he wouldn't kill anyone whatever reasons there are! You… you're not my brother!"

"Then I will kill you!" he shouted and pounced at her in the Sleeping Awake motion. The warrior maiden stabbed Alex's chest before he could land the Instant Kill. It barely missed his heart, yet it was enough to knock him out of his Warrior's Berserk. He cried out in pain and fell to his knees, even as blood gushed out of his chest like a fountain of red water. "Lia…!" he growled and coughed of blood.

"Your day has come, Lone Wolf," Lia spoke and approached him, "the judgment day has arrived upon you, the sinned one. I shall punish you by the name of Dragoon Society."

"To hell with that!" he replied and again coughed of blood. His strength was deteriorating and he was losing a lot of blood. Added with the injury on his eyes, he was totally disabled. "Isn't there any way I can do to repent myself, other than to face the judgment? You have to tell me if there is, Lia! You have to!"

"A sinner like you have no place for atonement," Lia replied and lifted the lance up in the air. "Say your last prayers."

"Alex!" Sion cried and ran toward him. "Lia, please stop this! He's realized his mistakes, you don't have to do this!" she begged as she knelt beside him.

"Stand back!" Lia demanded. "He must be punished for his sins. I will spare your life if you leave us alone."

"No! I will not!" Sion replied and stood up. "And why would you want to punish him? Just because he was a criminal in the past? Just because he ignored his duty as your brother? Just because he abandoned you? Just because he's a lone wolf doesn't mean that you have to blame him for everything!"

Lia was ticked off and seized Sion's neck. "You don't understand everything! And why you want to bother his life? You insolent woman! I shall kill you first!"

Immediately Alex lunged himself toward Lia and tackled her body. "Don't hurt her, Lia!" he demanded and knocked her from Sion.

"Why did you stop me, Lone Wolf?" Lia demanded. "She's the one who hurt you! I must punish her!" Alex did not answer, and kept on holding her body. She tried to knock him away from her when she heard Blaze calling out her name. She looked at the ninja, and realized that she and Alex were off the edge of the cliff. "Lone Wolf! Are you trying to kill both of us! Let me go!" she demanded, as she tried even harder to push him away.

"Lia," he called her as he tightened his embrace on her. "I don't hate you for what you've been doing…"

She was startled. The embrace had reminded her of the very day he was forced to leave her after killing the Guild's assassins. "Lone… Brother Alex?"

"But you've gone too far! I won't let you hurt her or anybody else!" he shouted and kicked himself away from the cliff.

"No! Don't do this!" It was useless, because they were already far away from the cliff and was diving toward the seemingly bottomless pit. She was lucky, for Blaze jumped in and snatched her from the sight-crippled Alex. She landed back on the cliff, and ran back to see whether he had fallen into the depth. She was in relief; he managed plunge the Black Sabbath on the cliff, and was hanging on it. "Brother Alex! Take my hand!" she shouted and tried to reach for him.

Alex could not look at her. The injury on his eyes had yet to recover, and the fatal wound was deteriorating him even more. He tried to search for the location of the voice and looked upward. "Lia, where are you?" he shouted and tightened his grip on the sword.

"Up here!" she replied and waved her hand. "Brother Alex, I'm above you! Try to reach my hand! Quickly!"

He gathered his final strength and seized her hand, and was pulled back to the cliff. He fell to his knees, but not before he was pulled into the young woman's arms. "I'm sorry, Brother Alex… I didn't mean to hurt you… I'm so sorry," she apologized and buried her face on the stained Holy Knight uniform.

"Lia…" He was about to embrace her when he head a loud screech coming from above them. He immediately pushed Lia far away from him, and was struck by Metal Widow's pincer. He wavered, firmed himself for a while and slipped off the cliff. He managed to catch Black Sabbath's hilt, and tried to endure the crawler's massive pounding on the ground above him.

"Brother Alex!" Lia cried and ran to the edge of the cliff. "What are you doing, Lens? I've almost saved him!" she demanded.

"But aren't we going to execute the judgment day right now, Mistress?" Doctor Getter asked.

"Forget about the judgment day! I'm going to save him!" she insisted and knelt near the cliff's edge, trying to reach for Alex. "Brother Alex! Grab my hand! Now!" Alex, instead, chuckled and ignored her hand. "Brother Alex, please! Do it! I don't want to lose you again!"

"Lia," he called her again and loosened his grip on the Black Sabbath. "I… I was glad to see you again. Though the consequences aren't… supposed to be like this, I'm happy to finally touch you…"

"Brother Alex, please! Don't you want to be saved? I-I'll beg the elders to drop the sentence against you, then we can live together," she replied.

"Together… like we used to be, right?" he asked.

"Yes… together, like we used to," she told him, trying not to cry.

He grinned. "You're crying again? Come on, Lia, you're supposed to be strong. You once told me you wanted to be as strong as me, didn't you?"

"I can't…! I can't be strong without you!" she denied and started to cry. "Please, Brother Alex! Grab my hand, and you'll be saved!"

Yet he took no attention of the offer. He was a sinner, and he was too remorseful to live with her, a woman whose pure heart was too gentle to be stained by blood. "Take care, Lia… and tell everybody else, I'm sorry."

The grip was finally released. He jumped to the depth of the cliff, falling to his final destiny together with the Black Sabbath. The young maiden cried in horror and called out his name, yet could do nothing but to watch as he plunged into the darkness of abyss. The field became silent, as the wind stopped blowing and the chirpings muted. The rest of the people were wondering of what would happen next, and were in curiosity as she sombrely called out Alex's name.

Lia slowly stood up and took back the lance. "We're pulling back," she ordered, not turning back to the Dragoon militia. All the soldiers complied to the command and fled from the battlefield, leaving the Judges to stare at her in disbelief.

"_Ojousama_, what happened to Lone Wolf?" Blaze asked.

"He's…" She tried to speak, and tried very hard to force herself to speak. "He's gone."

The Judges and the FATE warriors were in shock. "You mean Alex-_kun_ is…" Ciel spoke.

Lia could only shake her head. "This judgement day has failed to reach its objective. I'll take responsibility for this unsuccessful mission," she spoke and walked away from the edge of the cliff. She found herself facing the angry face of Sion, who went to seize her arms and shake her madly.

"Where's Alex! Where is he! What have you done to him?" she demanded.

Lia pushed her away and continued walking. "How should I know? How should I know… when he wanted to say sorry before he fell down there?" she whimpered. "I… I'm sorry, but…"

Sion was in shock. "You can't be serious. He's… gone?" Lia just nodded and walked away from the FATE group, while the Judges escorted her closely behind.

"Damn, when I thought I could finish this up," Spike complained and chased the group. "I'm sorry, Miss, but we'll continue this battle the next time!" he shouted to Saber.

"Like I want to," Saber replied.

"No… it's a lie…" Everybody turned to Sion, who had fallen onto her knees. Her heart had been broken. Her feeling had been denied. Her soul had been torn. The man she so depended to, the knight she could rely on and the person she referred to as lone wolf had been defeated. It was as if the whole world was laughing at her for believing in someone who foolishly chose to jump into his demise.

"Sion," Shiki called her as he knelt beside her. "It's over now. Everything's over now."

She broke into tears and fell onto his chest, crying bitterly on his shirt. "No! Why this has to happen? Why Alex has to die! I still haven't told him how I feel…" she sobbed and clung onto him. Shiki said nothing but to sooth her, who cried more bitterly and clung onto him more closer. The rest just stooped their head, devastated by the loss of the lone wolf they had wished to know better.

"Damn those Dragoons…!" Ciel cursed and punched the ground. "I've failed to stop this from happening! They must pay for this…!"


	11. Chapter 11: An Unforeseen Reunion

**Heart of the Melting Blood  
****Legend of the Moonlight  
****Written and conceived by:** Lone Wolf NEO

Lone Wolf NEO does not own any of all the games or anime or manga featured in this story, but he owns the copyright to all his original ideas in this fiction. The author would really appreciate it if readers do not plagiaries everything inside this story without his knowledge.

**Chronological Note:** _Heart of the Melting Blood: Legend of the Moonlight_ takes place scarcely half a year after the event in _Heart of the Melting Blood RELOADED_, and currently runs roughly in parallel with _Guilty Gear: the World within and Without_ written and created by Sheo Darren. This story takes place in the TYPE MOON universe, and happens at Misaki Town where the events of _Shingetsusan Tsukihime_ once took place.

**Author's note: **_Heart of the Melting Blood: Legend of the Moonlight's_ FATE Arc, as it has been agreed by the author, officially ends in the previous chapter (i.e. _Moonlit Flame of the Judgment Day_). Starting from this chapter, a new arc, the Awe of She Arc, will be taking place approximately a week after events in FATE Arc, in which another half of the story will be revealed, thus completing the story… hopefully.

**Chapter 11  
****An Unforeseen Reunion**

She was staring at him. For a while, she thought she was having a dream as she never saw somebody else entering the forest. Perching on her shoulder was a pair of sparrows that were looking at the stranger too, curious of his presence in their living place. The man was staggering on his feet, swaying to the left and to the right while mumbling in low voice. He halted, dropped the sword he was holding to the ground and stood stiffly.

"What should I do?" she asked as she cautiously walked toward him. The man suddenly screamed in anger and fell on his knees, and his yells caused the birds to fly away for safety. Even the rest of the forest dwellers were intimidated by the loud yell and had to take cover. She, however, wasn't scared and braved herself to approach him, who later fell to the forest floor. "What happened to him? He seems to be pained," she pondered and knelt beside the unconscious man. As slowly as she could, the young woman rested his head upon her lap and caressed it gently.

"He wakes up," she whispered when the man opened his eyes. She was staring at him, who was bewildered at what happened to him, and waited as he looked up at her.

"Who… who are you?" the man weakly answered.

A gentle smile carved upon her face, as she rubbed her palms gently against his bruised cheek. "Dizzy." The man tried to reach her cheek, yet she just shook her head and put his hand down. "Don't move too much, sir. You've been hurt; you should rest yourself for a while."

"But I…"

She smiled at the reaction and hummed a lullaby to his ear. The man was startled and tried to say a word before he fell asleep, put under the charming spell of the lullaby. She stopped singing and stared at his sleeping face. "Oh, he's sleeping already." Then she giggled to herself. "It can't be helped, can it?" she uttered and resumed the lullaby, the familiar hymn of _Shizukana Yoru ni_.

x-x-x-x-x

"_Ohayou_, Dizzy-_chan_." The owner of the name opened her eyes and found herself staring into a warm, content gaze. "How was your sleep? I bet you had sweet dream last night," the girl asked and giggled.

"Hotaru-_chan_, _ohayou_," Dizzy replied, lazily rubbing her eyes. "You woke up earlier than I thought. Is there something the matter?"

The girl in blue pyjamas giggled and fell onto her body. "Nothing, I just want to say good morning," she uttered and pulled Dizzy into her lithe arms. The Gear woman was idle for a moment, immobilized by the cutely hug before she too embraced Hotaru in return, cuddling her as close as possible.

"You're so cute in the pyjamas, Hotaru-_chan_," Dizzy spoke as she cradled Hotaru closer. "Who bought it for you?"

"Rock-_chan_ bought it for me," the firefly girl said and giggled. "He said he wanted to buy me ribbons that match the pyjamas yesterday, but he forgot to do so. I guess he was too busy ignoring Ky-_chan's_ complaints all day."

"Oh, really?" Dizzy asked when Hotaru suddenly tickled her. "_Iie_! Hotaru-_chan_, don't do that! It tickles!" she cried in shock.

"Aw, I just want to play with you," Hotaru replied and tickled Dizzy again. The Gear woman squealed at the ticklish touch before she, too, tickled, the petite girl. Hotaru gasped at the sudden response and counter-tickled Dizzy, and before long they were tickling each other on the bed, laughing along as they did.

Then it stopped. The two women ended their game of tickling and pillow bashing that followed and found themselves in position only lovers would possibly do.

"Di… Dizzy-_chan_?" Hotaru whispered, her face was burning furiously red.

"Hotaru-_chan_…" the Gear woman replied, even as she too blushed brightly.

Both of them were oblivious of what was really happening. It was only after several minutes that they realized what went terribly wrong:

**One**: they were lying on the bed.

**Two**: both of them had their pyjamas almost slipping off their body.

**Three**: both of them were holding hands, and staring at each other very deeply that they were almost hypnotized by their own gaze.

**Four**: they were lying down in a position only lovers would possibly do every morning. A very nice, if not scandalous, position, if it must be said.

**Five**: what the hell are those fours supposed to mean? This is not _Kannaduki no Miko_! They are not Himeko and Chikane!

x-x

Uproar had broken out. A band of fan boys and fan girls alike were running berserk and shoving banners and signboards to the air. The citizens of the South Town were looking at the mass demonstration in intrigue before went to continue their daily routine, as if the event was nothing to them. Some of the demonstrators acted daring by pouring gasoline on their bodies and put them on fire, shouting "Kill it with fire!" at the same time.

"For God's sake, what the hell is going on here?" the ever-dismayed Ky asked, as he and Rock walked down from a bus stop near the road junction.

"I think there's a demonstration going on here," Rock said and looked at the demonstrators. "Let me check… oh, they're protesting authors' suggestion of writing a new female-only love story, but I don't know what does that mean. At least, that's what the banner says."

"That's not what I'm worried of, Rock. What's more important is," Ky uttered before he snapped. "Why the hell are we here?"

"Here, as in South Town?" Rock asked. "Come on, you know we're here to visit my pop. What's wrong with that?"

"Oh, what's _wrong_ with that? Do you think I won't get mad if we leave without taking our wives along?" Ky insisted and poked Rock's forehead. "Listen, son of Geese Howard. When Dizzy and Hotaru are left alone, and I mean _ALONE_, do you have any idea of what does that mean?"

"What? They're the closest of friends, aren't they?" Rock answered. "And what do you mean by _alone_?"

Ky grumbled and violently shoved his hand through his hair. "Don't you know that Dizzy and Hotaru are the latest and the hottest _shoujo-ai_ couple anyone can ever imagine of? You should've known of that a long time ago. Damn that _Wedding_ _Night_ and _GG vs. SNK_…"

For a while, the young wolf of Fatal Fury stared at the holy knight in bewilderment. Then he laughed so hard that he almost fell to the ground. "Come on! You know they're close to each other, and they're quite cute too! There's nothing wrong for them to be like that!" he answered between his laugh.

"This is not_ Kannaduki no Miko, _for Heaven's sake! And they are not Himeko and Chikane!" Ky cried out in dismay. "Gah! This is why I hate to be involved in this kind of story! And those two authors…! I hate them! I detest them! Their sins are beyond the grace of God!"

At London, Sol was having breakfast with Kagura at the 4th Avenue Café near the London Bridge when he suddenly sneezed and spilled the coffee he was about to drink. "Curse. Nobody dares talking behind my back," he mumbled and groaned at the stain on his shirt. "Damn, my new jersey."

"I think somebody's talking about God, Sol-_kun_," Kagura suggested and handed over a paper towel to him.

"God? I don't want to have anything with it," he replied and wiped the stain with the towel. "Damn it. It must be Ky."

Back at South Town, Ky sneezed so loud that he almost slipped on his foot. "What the hell is it this time?" he demanded in French.

"Beats me," Rock shrugged. "And by the way."

"What?" Ky roughly replied while rubbing his runny nose.

"Why did you mention Himeko and Chikane? Wait, don't tell me you're a fan of _shoujo-ai_ too?" Rock asked. Ky immediately replied with a Sacred Edge; it missed and hit the demonstrators across the road. The scandalized knight tossed many Stun Edges around him in madness, causing passers-by to run for cover. Rock could only slap his forehead at the stubborn French knight. "Always as scandalous as ever, that Ky."

Cue music of _Scandalous_ started to take place.

x-x

Dizzy moved away from Hotaru and jumped off the bed. "I think I'll prepare breakfast for both of us," she told her and quickly corrected her pyjamas. Hotaru was doing the same and was tidying the mess, trying to calm herself after the unexpected experience as she did.

"Oh, yes. Dizzy-_chan_, do you still remember what I told you yesterday?" Hotaru asked.

"Yesterday?" Dizzy replied. "Ah, yes. The picnic we're going to have today at the summer house, isn't it? What about it?"

"Have you phoned Mr. & Mrs. Rage? We had planned to invite them, don't you remember?" Hotaru uttered.

"Not yet. I'm going to do it today," the Gear woman replied. "Oh, I'm planning to tell Lone Wolf NEO and Hibiki-_chan _about our plan after this. I'm sure they'll be very pleased to join us."

"Those twos? Why would you want to do that?" Hotaru asked in concern. "And are you sure it's safe to bring Hibiki-_chan_ along? You know she can easily get jealous, don't you?"

Dizzy smiled to hear it and made a wink, even as she walked out of the bedroom. "If that's the case, we'll just make her busy."

"Oh, okay then," Hotaru replied and quickly followed the Gear woman after doing her work. "_Ne_, Dizzy-_chan_."

"What is it, Hotaru-_chan_?" she asked.

"Do you have any ideas why Rock-_chan_ and Ky-_chan_ didn't want to bring us to South Town?" Hotaru asked and made her cute pouting face.

"I don't know. They said they wanted to have a manly deal with Mister Geese."

"But at least they could've taken us along. _Mou_, I've wanted to visit _otousan_ in a while."

Dizzy could only smile at the mumbles Hotaru was saying. It can't be helped, she thought.

x-x-x-x-x

"Aw, why doesn't he want to come?" Dizzy asked, as she and the invited guests walked to the summer house near the sea.

"_Gomennasai_, Dizzy-_chan_. Actually I had asked Lone Wolf-_san_ whether he'd be interested to come along, but he said he's busy with his stuffs," Hibiki told her. "I think he's planning to do a joint-production with the some groups… Gakuten Rangers-whatever, but I don't know for what."

"So he can't come along and sends you instead? I thought Miss Mriya is coming along with you," Dizzy asked.

"Mriya-_san_? Nah, she's probably busy ogling and bothering Hikki-_san_ by now," Hibiki said before she mumbled. "_Mou_, when I thought I could show Lone Wolf-_san_ the new _yukata_ I bought yesterday for the Tanabata festival."

x-x

Back at Kiev, Mriya was happily ogling the dismayed Hikki who insisted her to leave him alone in the training hall. "_Oneesan_, I'm trying to concentrate on my training!" Hikki cried. "Can't you leave me for a minute or two?"

"_Yada_! How can I ever leave you alone!" the bouncy young woman protested and rubbed her cheek against his. "You bad boy! Do you think I don't know what you're going to do with Mai-_chan_? Both of you are going to do _that_, don't you?"

"That's not it!" Hikki yelled out, even as he started to blush furiously. Sitting beside him, Mai could only hide her embarrassed face.

x-x

"The Summer Festival is coming, isn't it?" Hotaru asked. "Let me think of the last time I celebrated it with Gato-_oniichan_. Oh, I think I forgot when," she said and giggled silly.

"Honey, did you remember when the last time we celebrated things like this?" Millia asked as she was cuddling Laila the Siamese cat she took along.

"Umm… no?" Venom asked, and was promptly bopped on the head by Millia's hair. Hibiki and Hotaru laughed at him, causing the former leader of the Assassin's Guild to yelp in disgrace.

"Speaking of which, I'm very much concerned of Lone Wolf right now," Dizzy spoke and glazed at the swordswoman. "Do you believe in him when you left him behind? I mean, he already has Mriya and Cassandra to take care of, can he be trusted?"

Hibiki heard it and giggled. "Yes, of course. Besides, he's promised me he'll never do such things while I'm with you guys," she said, smiling as she usually did.

"Well, if you say so," Dizzy said.

The group arrived at the summer house they were heading to. It was made in contemporary design, and it was facing the open sea. The guests cooed at what they saw and asked Hotaru about the house. "This house once belonged to the Howard Family. Rock-_chan_ inherited it from _otousan_ on his 20th birthday, and we use it as our summer house ever since. It's kind of modest, but we like it," she explained.

"Wow, your father is surely rich or something," Millia spoke, and stared at the exterior design in fascination.

Hotaru just giggled and ran her hand through her free hair. "It's nothing, compared with what _otousan_ has given to us. He may look appalling, but he's a nice person. Anyway, we better get going and pack our stuffs. There's going to be a firefly sighting at the wetland tonight, so I hope all of us can go there together before dusk."

The guests carried their baggage to the summer house, while admiring the simple garden design outside the building. Dizzy was walking toward the door when Hibiki called her. "Dizzy-_chan_, can I talk with you for a while?" she asked.

"Yes, of course. What is it, Hibiki-_chan_?" Dizzy asked and put down her bag.

"Lone Wolf-_san_ wanted me to ask you of something," Hibiki uttered. "He wants to know whether you're having any strange occurrence. Like dream or something. Have you had any of them?"

"Strange occurrence? No, if I can remember," Dizzy replied. "But why would he want to know?"

"He received a foresight from his fellow authors a few days ago, and he's informed that the foresight has something to do with you," the heir of the Takane clan spoke. "He was worried at you, and he wanted to tell you about the prophecy but he couldn't, so he sent me in instead."

Dizzy could only giggle. "Why would he be worried? I'm having a happy life with Ky now. Though he's been pretty moody lately, we never fight or having a bad day in our relationship."

"I see. Maybe he's been worrying over things too much," Hibiki uttered and giggled too.

"Dizzy-_chan_! Hibiki-_chan_! Come on in, the meal's ready," Hotaru called from inside the house. The two women looked at each other, nodded and waved back to Hotaru before going to the house.

x-x-x-x-x

"That was so fun!" Hotaru uttered as the group walked home from their firefly sighting. "I didn't know there was so many of them tonight, and they even wanted to play with us. What an experience!"

"Yeah, I have to agree with that," Venom said and again got bopped on the head. He yelled in dismay and stared at Millia, whose hair was now shaped in sledgehammer. "What the hell's wrong with you?"

"You're the one," Millia answered and made an angry face. "I never see you happy since we arrived here. All you do is to complain and complain and complain, like you're never satisfied with everything. Do you think I'm not angry with that?"

The dark-skinned man tried to smile. "I'm smiling now. See?"

"That's not enough," she replied and prodded his forehead with her hair. "If you have problems, say it. Don't hide it and pretend that there's nothing, Mister Venom. Okay?"

"Yes, ma'am," Venom answered and gulped to see the angry face she was making.

She smiled at the answer and backed away from him. "That's better. Say, I saw a restaurant near the junction we walked by. Why don't we go there and have a meal? Venom will pay the meal for us."

"Hello there, Mrs. Rage. Our money's barely enough for our return trip."

"Oh, honey. We can always use our Guild account to pay the bill."

"Are we still related to them?"

"We still have our membership valid, you see."

"That's a good idea!" Hotaru replied and seized Millia's hand. "Let's go there, Millia-_san_! I want to have something yummy tonight!" Immediately the two married woman ran down the road and headed to the said restaurant, leaving the rest of the group in bewilderment.

"Even after we're married, I still feel stupid," Venom mumbled and scratched his head.

"It's not stupid for two assassins to get married," Hibiki reminded. "It's amazing."

"Yeah, yeah, I heard that. Sounds like that movie "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" she wants to watch next week," he replied. "Sigh, I know I should've asked Slayer on marriage advices." He shrugged and followed the trail Hotaru and Millia had made earlier. "Why don't you ladies come along? They might be waiting for you."

"We'll follow you shortly, Venom-_san_," Hibiki told him.

"Alright, then. I'll see you at the restaurant," Venom said and headed to the restaurant where the two wives were waving at them and calling out their names. Hibiki waved back at them and turned to Dizzy, noticing that she was frowning.

"What's the matter, Dizzy-_chan_?" she asked.

"I don't know," the Gear woman said and put her hand on her chest, even as the moon started shining wonderfully at the beach, "but I feel there's something missing inside of me."

"Could it be Ky?" Hibiki asked, staring at her in expectation.

She merely shook her head. "No, it isn't him. It's something… more important than Ky, but I can't remember what it is."

The swordswoman smiled and put an assuring hand on her shoulder. "Take it easy, Dizzy-_chan_. You can't force yourself to remember everything," she said.

"I… I guess you're right," Dizzy sighed and held the hand firmly.

"Come on. Hotaru-_chan_ and Millia-_san_ might be waiting for us," Hibiki uttered. Dizzy just nodded and followed her to the restaurant.

x-x

Midnight. The household was silent, as they were busy drifting inside the dreamlands they were visiting. The sound of chirping crickets, added with the calm breeze of the ocean, was a sign of the peaceful night they were enjoying. They were oblivious of what was going to happen next, nor did they notice of someone who was approaching the summer house.

Hotaru was walking out of her room and was heading to the kitchen. She was hungry, and the meals she had at the seaside restaurant couldn't satisfy her need. "_Mou_, I'm still hungry…" she mumbled and rubbed her rumbling tummy. One could only imagine whether she was fulfilling her need, or her significant other's need, considering that she had been married to Rock for months. But let's leave that for another story, since the author would prefer to leave it to readers' judgments, although the league of _The World Within and Without _would demand the otherwise.

--"Yeah, I resent that. What's with that significant other? Can't he ever get straight to the point already?" mumbled Yuuki, while she watched at the progress from onboard _Death Star_. "And whatever the hell happened to Alex back at Misaki Town? I demand a detailed explanation on this," she mumbled and shook her fist.

Standing behind her, I-No and Raven could only shake head. "So scandalous," they uttered, even as the familiar rhythm of _Scandalous_ echoed inside the spaceship.--

Hotaru halted. An unusual noise was coming from outside the kitchen. "Who could that be?" she wondered and stepped out of the kitchen. She walked toward the woods and looked for any sign of strangers. Nothing was found, and she assumed that it was just night creatures wandering about. She returned to the kitchen when she heard the same noise, this time it was closer. Way too closer than she thought. Warily she turned around, and found herself facing a black shadow that was glowering at her in droopy eyes.

"KYAAAA!"

Immediately the household was awakened by the distress cry. They rushed to the outside, and saw Hotaru standing motionless on the riverbank. "Hotaru! What happened?" Venom asked as they approached her. Tongue-shackled, she could only point her finger to a spot across the river while Hibiki told her to calm down. Venom looked to the direction and immediately withdrew his cue poll. "There's something behind the bushes. Ladies, stand back." He tucked his pocket, took out several cue balls, and placed all of them suspended in the air. He waited for the intruder to come out, and waited, and…

"STINGER AIM!"

One of the cue balls was poked and hit remaining white orbs, creating an uncontrolled ricochet. All the balls hit the target Venom aimed at, and the target wavered on his feet before became visible to sight. Venom was prepared to shoot another ricochet when the target collapsed on the riverbank.

"Hey, doesn't the uniform look familiar to us? Can you check it out, honey?" Millia asked.

Venom jumped across the river and approached the fainted person. "This is not an ordinary uniform. This suit belongs to the Holy Orders," he said and turned the body over as to look at the knight's face. A sudden change struck upon Venom, and his eyes widened in disbelief at what he saw.

"What 's taking you so long?" Millia asked as she approached them. She looked over Venom's shoulder, and too was shocked when she saw the knight. "It's him! What the hell is he doing here?"

"I don't know, Millia, but one thing is for sure," Venom replied and lifted the unconscious knight. "You've got to lend me a hand. He's badly hurt." Millia nodded and helped Venom to carry the knight on his shoulders. The other three women just watched, as the husband and wife carried the knight back to the summer house.

"I'll go and call a doctor," Hotaru suggested.

"Good idea. I'll help them while you look for one," Hibiki said and returned to the house.

Hotaru nodded and told Dizzy to follow her to the town. She, instead, stood at her place and took no notice of her. "Dizzy-_chan_? What's the matter? Dizzy-_chan_?" she asked.

"…it can't be…" Dizzy quickly ran back to the house and approached the fainted knight. Ignoring Venom who told her to help Hotaru, she stared at the knight's face, and gasped. "It's him! It's really him!"

"Dizzy-_chan_, do you know this person?" Hibiki asked.

"Yes, I'm very certain. This is the knight who arrived at Devil's Living Place," she said. "I thought we'd never meet each other again after he left, but it can't be… I thought he had…"

Venom, Millia, and Hibiki stared back and forth between Dizzy and the knight Venom was carrying. "This is such a strange reunion. Dizzy knows this person very well, and she's surprised to see him again," he pondered and glanced at Hibiki. "You go and help Hotaru. Let Dizzy follow us." Hibiki nodded and ran toward the bedazzled Hotaru, and left the summer house to the town nearby. "And as for you," he spoke and glanced back at Dizzy.

"As for me?" she asked.

"You stay with us and look after him," he told us. "When he wakes up, we'll ask him everything about him, as well as you. Is it okay with you?" She just nodded to answer yes, and followed them back to the summer house.


	12. Chapter 12: Blurry

**Heart of the Melting Blood  
****Legend of the Moonlight  
****Written and conceived by:** Lone Wolf NEO

Lone Wolf NEO does not own any of all the games, anime or manga or whatever real-life references featured in this story, but he owns the copyright to all his original ideas in this fiction. The author would really appreciate it if readers do not plagiaries everything inside this story without his knowledge.

**Chronological Note:** _Heart of the Melting Blood: Legend of the Moonlight_ takes place scarcely half a year after the event in _Heart of the Melting Blood RELOADED_, and currently runs roughly in parallel with _Guilty Gear: the World within and Without_ written and created by Sheo Darren. This is _Heart of Melting Blood: Legend of the Moonlight's_ new arc, the Awe of She Arc, which takes approximately a week after events in FATE Arc, and takes place in a peaceful, seaside town away from all the chaos and disorder. This is the arc where another half of the story will be revealed, thus completing the story… hopefully.

**Author's note**: song featured in this chapter is _Blurry_ by Puddle of Mudd.

**Chapter 12  
****Blurry**

"Is he going to be alright, doctor?"

"From my initial diagnosis, he's sustained major damages in his body, and it includes fractured ribcages, a broken arm and damaged abdomen. I've also found debris inside his pelvic while diagnosing his body and managed to take them out through immediate surgery. But…"

"But what, doctor? Please tell us."

"I need to perform thorough medical diagnosis on him to confirm his actual condition. For now, I can only say that he's going to take a long time to recover. Oh, look. He wakes up."

The people waited expectantly, as the man moaned in his sleep and slowly opened his eyes. They watched, as he looked at each and everyone of them in bewilderment. "What… what happened to me?" he asked.

"You were found fainted at the riverbank," Venom told him. "We took you to this house and asked Doctor Faust to examine you."

"I'm Faust, and I can guarantee that you're going to recover soon under my expert doctorate skill," the nine-foot-something doctor said and offered a handshake. He was bedazzled and tried to look for the said doctor, while his hand aimlessly looking for Faust's handshake. It did not take long before the doctor noticed an unusual ailment in the man's eyes and put his palm on the eyelids. "This… this is…?"

"What is it, Faust-_sensei_?" Hibiki asked.

He lifted back his hand and shook his head. "I'm afraid his sight's been injured. It is unknown of what caused the injury, but he's losing his sight." Dizzy frowned at the answer, and stared at the man in black knight uniform in disbelief. "Unless you can give me some times to examine his sight, there's no clear hope to see him recovering from this injury," Faust said.

"What's wrong, Dizzy-_chan_?" Hotaru asked when she noticed the worried look upon Dizzy's face.

"He's… he's going to be alright, isn't he?" she asked, while she kept staring at him. "I thought he would still remember me when he looks at me, but…"

"Everybody, please allow me to perform thorough examination on this person's health and biological condition," Faust told them, "although I need to know his name first so that I can record it in his medical report."

"I… I can't remember my name." Everyone inside the room stared at him in bafflement, even as he held his head and shook in dismay. "I can't even remember who I am."

Millia nudged Venom's back. "Honey, do you think he still remember his name if you tell them who we are?" she suggested.

"I don't know, unless we give it a try." Venom, then, approached the still confused man. "Alexander Hahn, lone wolf of the Assassin's Guild. Do you still remember the name?" he asked.

The man looked around, trying to find Venom who just stood beside him. "Who's there? What do you want from me?" he demanded.

"My name is Venom, and in case you don't remember, I'm the former leader of the Assassin's Guild," he told him.

"Venom? Assassin's Guild? I… I think I've heard those names somewhere, but I can't remember when," he answered and held his head. "And I think I've also known the name Alexander Hahn. Do you know who the person is?"

"That name belongs to you," Venom insisted. "Don't you remember anything at all, Alexander?"

Just then, Faust gave him a signal to stop. "Mister Venom, it would be advisable not to burden the patient with complicated questions. Now, will you be pleased to leave me with him for further medical examination?" he suggested. Venom tried to protest before Millia asked him not to argue anymore. Discouraged, he left the room, while the rest of the people followed the suit.

Only Dizzy was not leaving, as she stared at the man named Alexander in concern. Slowly she stepped toward him and sat next to him on the bed. "Sir… do you still remember me?" she asked and took his hand.

"Who's there?" Alex asked, even as he tightened the grip.

"It's me, Dizzy. We had met before at the Devil's Living Place, and you were the one who taught me how to make the paper cranes," she answered.

"We… we had?" he asked, bewildered by the question she was asking. "I… I don't know who you are. Have we met before…?"

Dizzy frowned. He had lost his memories, she thought, and he did not remember her at all. Slowly she put back his hand on his lap and moved away from the bed. "Doctor, please think of something that can help him remembering everything back," she begged and quickly left the room before Faust answered 'yes'.

"Talk about remembrance," Faust uttered and began his medical check-up on Alex. "This will only take a moment, Mister Hahn. I hope you don't mind me checking your health condition," the doctor spoke while examined Alex's left eye.

"No… I don't mind with it," Alex answered. "Doctor, do you know what happens to her? She seems to be sad."

"Maybe because you don't know her? Try to remember something; perhaps you will eventually know something about her," Faust spoke and examined Alex's other eye.

"No, I swear I don't remember anything at all," he answered and shook his head. "I don't even remember who I am, even though I was called with the name. Just… what happened to me?"

x-x

Dizzy leaned against the wall. She was sad at the fact that Alex did not remember her. Her heart ached painfully that she almost broke into tears, and she tried to fight the agonizing throb that thumped against her chest. It was agonizing to be reunited with the person she had been separated from, yet could not remember the memory they used to share.

"Dizzy-_chan_, what's the matter?" She turned around, and noticed that Hotaru was staring at her. "I saw you walking out of the room, and I thought you might need some help."

She wiped off the tears. "No, I'm fine. Don't worry about me," she denied and forced a smile.

Hotaru kept staring at her. "Are you sure? I'm here to listen to you," she suggested.

Dizzy just shook her head. "No, I… I just want to be alone," she said.

"Oh, okay then." Hotaru excused herself to go to the living room where Mr. & Mrs Rage and Hibiki were at. Dizzy just watched at the firefly girl before she tightly shut her eyes. Streams of hot tears were flowing down her cheeks, and were dampening her dress. She tried not to let them fall down, and it was futile. It was just too painful for her to even think of it.

She was startled by the sound of opened door. Quickly she approached Faust, who merely gave her an 'okay' signal. "My diagnosis on him is complete. You can now meet him," Faust told her.

"Oh, thank you doctor!" Dizzy thanked and immediately rushed into the room. She went to seat beside Alex, and took his hand again. "Are you alright now, sir?"

"Sort of," Alex replied. "That doctor told me the injury on my eyes isn't as serious as it was thought, but he gave me these eyeglasses to improve my eyesight. Just in case, he said." He, then, looked at his new image on the mirror, and cooed in fascination. "I never thought to see myself wearing this stuff, and it kinds of uncomfortable. But it fits me."

"I'm so glad," Dizzy spoke and tightened her grip on his hand. "I'm so glad to finally see you again. I thought… we'd never see each other again after that day, and I was so worried whenever I thought of you…"

"Ma'am, I truly don't remember the relationship both of us have," Alex insisted. "Not even the slightest of my memory can help me. I'm sorry, but I wish I could recall the days we used to share together."

She frowned for the second time, and tears were flowing down her cheeks again. "Don't you remember at all…?" she sobbed. "Don't you remember the day you taught me how to make paper cranes? I wanted to thank you for that, but you left before I could…"

Alex sighed and scratched the back of his head. "Man, I forgot to ask the doctor to tell you not to cry," he uttered and wiped off her tears. "I don't know what had made you sad, but don't make that crying face again. I find it unfitting to your beauty."

She stopped crying and frowned, trying to hide her blushing face. "I-I'm sorry; I didn't know you don't like to see me crying," she apologized.

"Oh, please, it's my weakness to see women in tears; I can't resist it," Alex told her. "Aha! I know. What if we become friends from the beginning?" Dizzy lifted her head and stared at him in surprise, noticing that he was laughing naively to himself. "I know it sounds silly, especially when you insist that we've met before, but it's better than trying to regain something we can't remember in the first place."

"No, it isn't!" she exclaimed and tightly held both his hands. "I don't mind if we have to restart our friendship all over again! It doesn't matter if you can't regain everything back, because… because I'm so happy to see you again!"

Alex was staring at her for a long time, not saying anything to please her. Then he smiled. "Then I think we better start with our introductory speeches. Now if only I can remember the name that doctor told me…"

"Alex. Your name is Alex," she told him. "And I'm Dizzy. Pleased to meet you."

"Yeah, yeah, that's the name I'm trying to remember," he said and nodded. "You have good memories, Miss Dizzy. I wish I could learn that from you."

She giggled. "Why, I'm more than glad to teach you everything."

x-x

"So he doesn't remember anything at all," Venom uttered. "He had a severe blow on his head and it greatly affected his brain. He must've been fallen from a high place or been hit on his head so hard."

"That's all I can say, Mr. Rage," Faust said after finishing his medical report. "So what can all of you do for now is to help him getting through his life, and not abandoning him whenever he needs helps."

"We can try on that," Millia assured. "Though it was surprising to see the infamous assassin wearing Holy Knight uniform, and losing his memories when we need to know him the most. Hibiki, did Lone Wolf tell you anything about Alex before you came here?"

"No, Lone Wolf-_san_ never told me of anything about Alexander-_san_," Hibiki insisted. "Although he did remind me to tell Dizzy about a prophecy."

"A prophecy?" Venom asked.

"If I can remember correctly, it's something that has to do with her past," she said. "Oh my, I think I remember something."

"Did you remember anything, Hibiki-_chan_?" Hotaru asked.

"Elde-_san_ told me that when Alex-_san_ and Ky-_san_ clashed in a duel back at Cairo, they mentioned something about an unfinished business," the Takane heir uttered. "Could it be related to what's happening now?"

Just then, Dizzy walked out of the room and headed to the living room. "Everybody, what are the commotions here?" she asked.

"Nothing much, just some talks about the assassin," Venom told before Millia signalled him not to use the word. "What? Alex's an assassin, wasn't he?"

"Right now, we shouldn't address him with such suffixes," Millia reminded. Venom tried to protest before she gave him her killing sight. "Who's in charge here, Mister Venom? You or me?"

"Why it's me who has to take the blame?" Venom demanded.

"Because I want to," Millia replied and prodded his neck with hair-made scalpel, mocking the same smile Kirishima Hijiri of AIR's fame was giving to the puppeteer Kunisaki Yukito on the way to send homemade meal to Kano. Venom could only gulp to see the murderous grin, even as the scalpel started moving down his neck.

"Then I'll take my leave now," Faust spoke and bowed to the group before took his leave. Dizzy and Hotaru waved to the doctor, who waved back at them and disappeared in the night sky, shouting "VIVA LA REVOLUTION!" as he did.

"He's kind of weird to me," Hotaru uttered while watching at the disappearing doctor.

"But he was helpful," Dizzy said and sighed in relief. "I was so happy to see him curing Mister Alex's ailment. I was worried that he wouldn't recover from the injuries, had Doctor Faust not been here."

"Have you met him before, Dizzy-_chan_?" Hotaru asked.

"Yes, I had, but he didn't seem to remember me," Dizzy uttered and looked at the midnight sky. "It doesn't matter, because we decided to become friends from the beginning, and he's so happy to be my friend again." She, then, clasped both her hands and closed her eyes as if she was longing on something. "I wish we could gather back all memories we used to make and share before."

Hotaru just smiled and gazed at the sky. "You will, Dizzy-_chan_. You will."

x-x-x-x-x

Alex was staying alone in the summer house. His injuries had yet to recover, and he was advised to stay behind. He was a little upset as he had been looking forward to visit the seaside town with the group, and he was wondering whether Dizzy was agreeing with the suggestion Venom gave.

He frowned. He could not recall what happened before he came to the place, or what had taken place before that. Moreover, what he had run into last night --especially the woman who called herself Dizzy-- not only made him intrigued. Somehow he felt as if he had missed something very important.

He decided to let the thought go away and fall back to the bed. "I need to take a rest. Maybe I'll take a walk in the evening after this," he thought and closed his eyes. As he was about to fall asleep, a frantic cry caught his ears, and it was coming from the outside. He looked outside the windows and saw a group of children standing around a tree. Curious of what they were doing, he shouted at them. "What are you kids doing there?"

"Ryuko's kite's stuck up there, sir," one of the children shouted. "We can't get up there. Can you help us?"

"Hang on there. I'll be with you in a moment." He slowly got off the bed but he almost fell on his knees. He managed to grab onto a chair and looked for something he could use to walk to the outside. He saw a walking stick next to the table and grabbed it. "This should do it," he uttered and walked to the outside with it.

"Can you help us?" the children asked again as he approached them.

"Does anyone of you know how to actually climb?" he asked.

"We can, but the tree's way too high for any of us to do it," they told him. "And it's so windy right now. We're afraid we might fall off the tree."

He looked around the tree, and closed his eyes when a strong gush of wind breezed on his face. "Yup, it surely is windy today," he said and looked up to the tree. "I think I can do this."

"Are you going to be alright, sir? You're using walking stick to come here," the children said.

He gave them an assuring thumb-up. "I've fallen down from seven-storey building many times, and that was higher than this tree. Don't worry, I'll be fine." He braced himself, lowered his stance and suddenly emitted a battle cry. In less than a blink of an eye, he was over the treetop and saw the kite. He threw himself to the kite, snatched it and dived back to the ground. He made a rough landing, however, and crashed on his knees. Quickly the children approached him and helped him to stand up. "Now that I got this, whose kite is it?" he asked and corrected his eyeglasses.

"Me," one of the children replied and stepped forward. Alex stared down at the young girl, grinned and returned the kite to her. _"Arigatou, ojiisan,"_ the girl spoke and bowed to him.

"Next time, try not to let the wind blow your kite away again, okay?" he reminded and patted the girl's head. She nodded, bowed to thank him again and ran back to the group. He walked back to the house when the group called him again. "What is it this time, kids?"

"Do you have free time right now?" they asked.

"Yeah, I think so," he replied. "Why?"

"Can you join us and play some games?" they requested.

He almost laughed at the request. "You already saw me crashing from the tree, didn't you? Why would you want to ask someone with injuries to come along?"

"Because you helped us, and we figured that you're alone at the house right now," the girl who owned the kite insisted. "We don't have to play hard games; just hide-and-seek will do."

"You know what? I have a better suggestion," Alex replied. "I think I saw a guitar in the house, so instead of playing games, why don't we sing songs along?"

"That's a good idea!" the girl replied. "We used to have singing time among ourselves whenever the day's sunny, and we can ask you to sing us with us. That would be fun!"

"I agree with Ryuko," a boy said. "Let me take the guitar. Where did you see it, sir?"

"At the cabinet in the living room, I think." The boy nodded and immediately went to the house, while Alex took a seat at the veranda's stair. The children sat on the ground, and were looking expectantly at him. "Alright. I can't guarantee to sing you kids folk songs, but I'll perform some that I can remember."

"Any song will do, _ojiisan_," the girl said. "As long as we can sing along with you."

The boy came out, and gave the guitar to Alex. He took it and plucked several tunes, as to adjust it. He nodded after that and corrected his seat. "So, what shall we sing?" he asked.

"Why don't you sing first? We'll follow you after that," Ryuko suggested.

"Alright, then." He tapped the guitar and played several introductory tunes. Several seconds, he was playing a song, and the children were waiting to listen to the song he was going to sing.

_Everything's so blurry, and everyone's so fake  
__And everybody's empty, and everything is so messed up  
__Pre-occupied without you, I cannot live at all  
__My whole world surrounds you, I stumble then I crawl…_

_You could be my someone, you can be my scene  
__You know that I'll protect you, from all of the obscene  
__I wonder what you're doing, imagine where you are  
_'_Cause oceans in between us, but that's not very far…_

_Can you take it all away, can you take it all away  
__When you shoved it in my face, this pain you gave to me  
__Can you take it all away, can you take it all away  
__When you shoved it in my face…_

He stopped singing and looked at the group. "How was it? If you don't like the song, I can sing another song instead," he said.

"Aw, why did you stop?" Ryuko mumbled. "We're about to sing the song with you."

"Yeah, yeah! Continue the song, sir! Please?" the rest of the group pleaded.

He laughed. "You kids could've told me not to stop earlier," he said and continued his guitar playing.

_Everyone is changing, there's no one left that's real  
__So make up your own ending, and let me know just how you feel  
_'_Cause I am lost without you, I cannot live at all  
__My whole world surrounds you, I stumble then I crawl…_

_You could be my someone, you can be my scene  
__You know that I will save you, from all of the unclean  
__I wonder what you're doing, I wonder where you are  
__There's oceans in between us, but that's not very far_

_Can you take it all away, can you take it all away  
__When you shoved it in my face, this pain you gave to me  
__Can you take it all away, can you take it all away  
__When you shoved it in my face, this pain you gave to me…_

_Oh…  
__Nobody told me what you thought; nobody told me what to say  
__Everyone showed you where to turn, told you where to run away  
__Nobody told you where to hide; nobody told you what to say  
__Everyone showed you where to turn, showed you where to run away…_

_Can you take it all away, can you take it all away  
__When you shoved it in my face, this pain you gave to me  
__Can you take it all away, can you take it all away  
__When you shoved it in my face, this pain you gave to me…_

_NOOOOOO!  
__This pain you gave to me!_

_Take it all away, take it all away…_

Alex stopped the guitar playing, and received impromptu applauses from the children. "Thank you for singing with me, kids. I never thought singing together would be so fun," he said and put down the guitar.

"Of course it is!" Ryuko answered. "It's really fun to have people gathering like this to sing, and it's even more fun when we have campfire."

"Campfire? That sounds cool to me," Alex said and lifted back the guitar. "So, ready for another round?"

"YEAH!"

x-x

The group returned from their tour at the town. They were carrying foods they bought at the market, as they were planning to have barbeque party that night. It was Venom who had to carry all stuffs and he was not very satisfied with it, although he did ask Hotaru to carry some of them to ease his load. Millia was having a conversation with Hibiki and Dizzy, whilst repeatedly prodding Venom's head with her hair scalpel, much to his annoyance.

They arrived at the summer house. "Well, well, well. Look at that," Millia uttered and pointed to the house. They looked at the house and saw Alex and the children group sitting in front of the house, singing songs as they did. "I thought he would sit quiet and do nothing while we're away. What's with him?"

"What should we do?" Hotaru asked.

"We just have to wait for them to finish it up," Hibiki suggested.

They stood there, and watched as the group sang more songs, while dancing to the acoustic rhythm Alex was playing. They were having fun, they thought, and they decided not to interfere.

"That was so fun!" Ryuko uttered after they finished dancing to the Latin song he was playing. "Thanks for spending time with us, _ojiisan_. We just hope you don't mind with it."

"Actually, I'm more than happy to be with you kids," he said. "So, what are you going to do after this?"

"We're going home to help our parents with the summer festival," Ryuko said. "It's going to be held this weekend, and we expect to see lots of people there. Of course, we want you to come too. It's going to be exciting if you could come and join us."

"I'll think of that, Ryuko."

"Well, then." The girl and the rest of the group bowed to him and ran down the road, waving goodbye to him at the same time. Alex waved back to them and grinned at them. Summer festival, is it, he thought and played a song with the guitar.

"Having fun, eh Alex?"

He stopped playing the guitar and looked in front of him. "I am. Those kids really like my singing, though I tend to suck in that," he uttered and put back the guitar. "Oh, welcome back. What did you guys bring home?"

"Some stuffs for our BBQ party tonight, and food supplies in emergency cases," Millia said and told Venom to carry the parcels inside. "I thought you'd stay inside, Alex. You know you still haven't recovered from the injuries, don't you?"

"I did, but then it can't be helped when one's in boredom," he replied.

The female assassin shrugged. "Whatever. Come on, guys. We're taking break first, and then we'll plan on what to do for the BBQ."

The group walked into the house, leaving Alex outside with the guitar. He did not say anything and just sat at the veranda, staring at the afternoon sky. He closed his eyes, and started listening to the summer's voice, even as the wind breezed upon his face.

"Can I sit here?"

He opened his eyes, and noticed that it was Dizzy. "Yeah, sure. Why not?"

The Gear woman took a seat beside him and stared at the summer sky. "What were you doing with the children a while ago?" she asked.

"Just singing some songs and sharing some stories among us," he said. "I never thought the people at this place are so friendly, especially children. They don't hesitate to approach me, even though I'm a stranger. Do you think it's weird?"

"I don't know, since I never have that kind of experience," she answered. "Why do you ask?"

"Just want to know." He said nothing after that and resumed playing the guitar, whilst Dizzy stared at him in interest. "Say, Dizzy."

"Yes?" she replied.

"That doctor told me," he uttered and put down the guitar, "that I need someone to help me recovering my lost memory. I've been thinking of that for the whole night, but I couldn't understand what he meant by that."

He was startled. Dizzy was taking his hand, and was holding it tightly. So tight, he could feel the radiant affection coming from it. "If that's the case, let me help you. I may not be the best counsellor, but I'll try my best," she said, even as a gentle smile carved upon her face.

"Are you sure you can help me?" he asked.

"Yes, I'm very sure I can help you," she uttered, "because I remember everything we had shared while we were at the Devil's Living Place. I know it's hard to help you on everything, but I'll promise you, you will get your memory back."

He could only chuckle at the sincere offer and held her hand in return. "Thank you, Dizzy. You're so kind to me."

The smile widened. "You're welcome, Alex. After all, we're friends. Right?"

Little did they know, that they were being watched. The group peeked at them through the window, and cooed in amazement. They were wondering whether it would be alright to let both Alex and Dizzy alone, and they were wondering whether the newfound relationship would be approved by the rest of the people.

"Are you sure he won't get angry, Hibiki-_chan_?"

"That's what I'm afraid of, Hotaru-_chan_. I don't want what Elde-_san_ had seen in Cairo to happen again."

"Considering his status as a former assassin, we should be careful whenever we're with him. Ouch! Hey, what's the problem, Millia?"

"Honey, I've told you not to use that word again, haven't I?"

"But… but…"

"But whatever it is, Alex-_san_ and Dizzy-_chan_ are so close to each other. Like, they had met before. Do you think they had, Hibiki-_chan_?"

"Only time will tell, Hotaru-_chan_. Sooner or later, it will tell us."


	13. Chapter 13: Giving In

**Heart of the Melting Blood  
Legend of the Moonlight  
Written and conceived by:** Lone Wolf NEO

Lone Wolf NEO does not own any of all the games or anime or manga featured in this story, but he owns the copyright to all his original ideas in this fiction. The author would really appreciate it if readers do not plagiaries everything inside this story without his knowledge.

**Chronological Note:** _Heart of the Melting Blood: Legend of the Moonlight_ takes place scarcely half a year after the event in _Heart of the Melting Blood RELOADED_, and currently runs roughly in parallel with _Guilty Gear: the World within and Without_ written and created by Sheo Darren. This is _Heart of Melting Blood: Legend of the Moonlight's_ new arc, the Awe of She Arc, which takes approximately a week after events in FATE Arc, and takes place in a peaceful, seaside town away from all the chaos and disorders. This is the arc where another half of the story will be revealed, thus completing the story… hopefully.

**Chapter 13  
Giving In**

Lia left the bathroom and headed to the mirror. With only white drape to cover her moist body, which was covered with evaporating steams after spending a long time inside the shower, she swung her head to the left and right, causing water to drip from her shiny hair. She stretched her arms upwards, made a small sigh and sat on the chair. She faced her reflection on the mirror, admiring every inch of her natural beauty while running her fingers through her still moist hair. Such magnificence was to be admired, and she wished that her brother was there to praise it.

--again, fan boys roared in excitement. Fan girls appeared and told the fan boys to drop dead. Fan boys revived and demanded the fan girls to shut up. Both parties argued and tossed items among each other.

Sol appeared and sent them a good mile away with his trustworthy Tyrant Rave Beta. "Stupid fan service and one-sided sibling love-obsessed public," he grumbled. Kagura glomped him. Sol curses to himself --although he likes the glomping very much-- and leaved the scene.

"Paedophile," a fan boy called him.

Sol halted, glared at him, said, "Fk you," and Instant Killed him with Napalm Death. He, then, walked away while letting Kagura hanging on his neck. "Nobody dares calling me a Lolikon."

"_Baaka,"_ Hoshino Ruri commented to end the side drama.

"Haven't this been done many times already?" Yuuki demanded, even as the crews of Death Star did their works on casualties evacuated from Athens.

Ruri glared at That Girl. _"Baaka,"_ she replied and left the command centre.

"What? Even I was called stupid," Yuuki snapped.--

She muted. The painful memory of her brother descending to the abyss remained fresh. Even after she apologized to the elders and was forgiven for failing the mission, she could not --and would not-- forgive herself for failing to save him. She embraced herself, frowned, and mumbled Alex's name in low voice even as she tried not to cry.

"I should take a walk," she pondered and reached for her miko dress. She was hesitant for a while, as she embraced the miko dress for a long time while burying her face in it, sniffing the fragrance aroma of it. She wore it, corrected it several times and went outside her room, and started walking down the alley.

"It seems that the lone wolf is still alive," a soldier spoke, even as Lia walked past the cafeteria. She stopped walking and eavesdropped the conversation the soldier and his comrade was having.

"Are you sure? The intelligence division reported nothing from their investigation," the soldier's comrade insisted.

The soldier snorted and put down the cup he was holding. "They didn't know anything about him. I heard many stories that assassins like him were once trained to defy death, and sometimes they had to face death many times just to ensure their survival."

"Nah, it couldn't that be," the comrade replied. "Assassins lived by the code 'kill or be killed,' just like the ninjas. They'd rather die in pride of an assassin than to die in humiliation."

"Yeah, most of them were, but not for those who directly served the highest leaders of the Assassins' Guild. They were often pitied upon, and given chances to prove themselves had they failed in their missions," the soldier spoke. "I even heard that former Zato-1 was angry at the elders' decision not to execute the lone wolf after he failed to assassinate Undersn."

"Maybe it's because he was special?"

"Who knows?"

The two soldiers continued their conversation, without knowing that they were being pried upon. Lia kept watching at them before left the cafeteria and headed back to her room. _If what they were talking was true, _she thought as she hurried down the balcony back to her room. _then there is still hope to see him alive_.

A ninja appeared behind her, and knelt. "Mistress, we have a problem."

"What is it?"

"Echo's found missing during a training mission with Master Blaze,"

"Echo's gone?" she replied.

"Yes, Mistress. We've searched everywhere at the training ground, but we found none of her presence. Master Blade has issued us with orders to search for her outside the base, since he suspects that Echo might have left the base."

Lia frowned. "Even Blade didn't know?"

The ninja nodded. "Master Blade apologized for his carelessness, and he's willing to accept any punishment you're going to execute."

"What does she think she's doing? Where's she headed to?" Lia asked.

"We don't have any clue. But the trainees said that Echo mentioned something of personal revenge," the ninja spoke.

Lia was startled. "Can't be… is she looking for him?"

x-x-x-x-x

The summer house was bustling with life. Tonight, the group would be handling their first barbeque party, an event they had been looking forward to from the day they arrived at the town. Added with the presence of Alex, unexpected but much welcomed, they were very excited to have it a day to be remembered.

"Alright, everyone, we now have everything ready," Millia uttered after she put down the BBQ set. "The only thing we have to do after this is to prepare meals for grilling. Venom, have you carried out the steak we bought earlier?"

"Why do I have to do all the smelly works?" Venom complained as he carried out the raw meat from the kitchen.

"Because you're the only man among us who can do that kind of job," Millia replied.

"What about him?" Venom demanded and almost puked at the underdone smell of the meal.

"You mean what about the _assassin_ you've tried to call with such suffix? Oh, will you please stop mumbling and finish the job already?" she replied and sighed. "This is why I don't like to see you grumbling around. Like an old man."

He groaned at the answer and roughly threw the steak to the table. "Hey, can't I voice out my opinion once in a while? What the hell's wrong with you, Millia?" Millia snapped and demanded Venom to shut up while prodding a hair scalpel upon his neck. Venom was freaked out and immediately took out his cue stick as a mean of defence and ordered her to stop threatening him.

"Now, now, Mr. & Mrs. Rage," Alex said and tried to calm down the couple in conflict. "Can we settle this matter in peace and continue with our work? What do you say?" Both the assassin couples glared at him, said "NO!" and continued their argument. He was astounded at the reply and blinked in bafflement. "Did I do something wrong?" he asked to himself.

"Don't worry about them, Alex-_san_," Hibiki reminded. "It's the usual thing husband and wife would do. Quarrelling, then make peace. Just leave them be, _ne_?"

Alex merely shook his head and continued his work when Hotaru took the ketchup bottle he was carrying. "You don't have to force yourself to help us, Alex-_san_. Why don't you take a rest? Dizzy-_chan_ might be worried to see you overworking yourself," she suggested.

"What? Can't I contribute some of my strength to help?" he insisted.

The firefly woman giggled at the answer and walked away from him. "Because you still haven't recovered," she answered. "And a sick person should stay inside and do his own work. Just leave the heavy jobs to us, okay?"

He tried to protest before decided not to argue with her. "Whatever you say, Miss Hotaru," he said and went back to the house. He headed to the living room and saw Dizzy making paper cut-outs. "What are you doing with the cut-outs?" he asked as he approached her.

"I'm trying to cut these papers for decorating the venue at the outside," she said and trimmed the paper she was holding. She mumbled in surrender and put down the tools after she couldn't make it. "Aw, I can't make it. It's just too hard for me."

Alex laughed and took the unfinished cut-outs. "That's not the way you do it. Let me do it for you," he said and examined it. "This is so wrongly done, Dizzy. Did you learn how to make stuffs?"

Dizzy sulked at the comment. "Are you angry at me, Alex?" she asked.

"Of course I'm not," he replied between his laughs. "I know you're trying very hard, but that alone isn't enough. You must put your believes on what you're trying to make, because only with that you'll achieve perfection."

"Why are you saying that?" she asked, curious and wanted to know.

He chuckled and put down the finished product. "I don't know. I just remembered someone telling it to me," he said. "Maybe a long time ago… but I forgot when." He handed over the perfected paper cut-outs to Dizzy, and proceeded to make a pair of paper cranes. Dizzy just watched at him in fascination and started imitating his works, humming songs as she did, not noticing that she was being watched. "Where did you learn the song, Dizzy?" he asked.

"Oh, you mean the song I'm singing now?" she replied, while shyly running her hand through her hair. "Would it be alright if I tell you who taught me the song? I mean, you might not know who, but…"

"Why, it's more than alright," he insisted. "You know, I have this habit of wanting to know everyone as a friend, even if I never meet them." She, instead, just shyly fiddled her fingers while not looking at him. "Hey, what's so embarrassing about? You know I won't get angry with you."

"But… I don't think you'll know the person anyway," she replied.

He kept staring at her before shrugged and continued his origami. "Oh, well. Guess I'll ask for it the next time," he said.

Dizzy said nothing afterwards and stared at him. For a while, she was wondering whether he really could not remember anything happened to him in the past, or he was merely pretending. _Pretending? No, it couldn't be that, _she insisted and shook her head. He really lost his memory, and he needed her help to recover whatever he had lost or left behind.

She was startled. Alex was presenting her with a pair of paper cranes, and he was smiling at her. "These are for you," he said and put the paper cranes on her palm. Her eyes shone brightly to see the surprise present, and her smile widened.

"They're so cute," she said and gently rubbed the paper cranes against her cheek. "Thank you for making me these, Alex."

"I'm so glad to see you smiling, Dizzy," Alex replied and put a paper flower he made from the origami on her head. "And I think this flower matches your smile perfectly, though it's kind of silly to give you fake flower," he said and laughed naively.

Dizzy cooed at the gift, and her smile became even wider. "You're so kind, Alex. You don't have to do this for me," she said.

"Why can't I?" he insisted.

"Because you just don't have to," she replied and shyly giggled. "And you don't have to be kind toward me, though…"

Alex laughed at the answer and corrected the paper flower she was wearing. "But we're friends, alright. There's nothing wrong for me to express how I feel toward my friend. There, it's done," he said and put a final touch on the flower. "Wow, you look so beautiful already, even if I don't put it on. It must be family inheritance."

She just frowned, trying to hide her blushing face from him. "Thank you, Alex…"

Just then, Hotaru came into the room and approached the twos. "Dizzy-_chan_, Alex-_san_, the BBQ's ready. Come on out, you don't want to feed on leftovers, do you?" she said.

Dizzy and Alex stared at each other, nodded, and followed Hotaru to the outside, where the barbeque party was ready to start. "Let's have as much meal as we can for tonight, Dizzy," Alex suggested. "What do you say?"

"I've wanted to eat barbequed steak once in a while," Dizzy stated. "I wonder how it feels to have outdoor meal. Have you had such occasion, Alex?"

"Not if I can remember when," he replied. "Wait a minute. Did I have one before?"

"_Ne_, _ne_, what did both of you talk back there?" Hotaru asked, even as her eyes were staring curiously at Alex. "Can you tell me? Can you?"

"Do you really have to know everything, Miss Hotaru?" he asked and patted her head.

"Aw, can't I?" she replied and pouted. "And stop patting my head, Alex-_san_. I'm not a kid, _mou_. I'm 18, and it's not Miss; it's Mrs."

"You're married already?" he replied.

Hotaru grumbled at the reply. "Yes, I am, and the same goes with Dizzy."

Alex glanced at Dizzy, who was by now blushing brightly and shooed Hotaru away from them. He just laughed and apologized at the young woman. "Looks like I have to be careful whenever I'm addressing both of you with suffixes."

"Just don't have to be too formal with us, Alex-_san_," Hotaru replied, and stuck out her tongue at Dizzy in protest. "Dizzy-_chan__baaka_. Trying to act dishonest toward your hubby, don't you?"

"I'm not!" Dizzy replied and started chasing Hotaru around the venue.

He just laughed at them and threw his sight to the night sky, correcting his loosened eyeglasses as he usually did. "That reminds me of something… but what is it?" he pondered.

x-x-x-x-x

"How is she, _oniisan_?"

"She still hasn't recovered. Her mental seems to be very disturbed when I met her back there, and you don't want to know what actually happens to her."

"Is she going to be alright, Shiki-_sama_?"

"I have no idea. At current rate, it's going to take a long time for her to pull through."

"I'm not worried about that; it's Alex we should be concerned of right now."

"Arcueid, we should _instead_ worry of both of them. We still don't know whether Alex-_kun_ is really gone or not."

"But we saw him falling off the cliff, didn't we?"

The living room became silent. All of the mansion's residents frowned, neither agreeing nor disagreeing with Arcueid. The True Princess blinked at the awkward silence and demanded everyone to answer her. "Hey, come on! Can't anybody come up with something or two?" she demanded and looked around her in dismay. Just then, Logan jumped off the chair and headed to the stairs. "Where are you headed to, Logan?" she asked.

"Of course," he replied and cracked a fist, "to knock her sense back."

"I'd advice against that, Logan," Shiki suggested. "She might look unwell, but she won't hold back if you're trying to anger her."

The axe fighter snorted. "Anger? Hah! I'd rather face an annoyed wolf than to hide from her. Listen, everyone. Do you think I'm going to sit quiet and do nothing while my buddy is nowhere to be found? Well, the answer is _NO_," he replied.

"But why must you meet her right away? You know she still has to…"

Logan glared at Akiha. "If she's still thinking about him, then why doesn't she go out and look for him right away? I don't want to spark arguments with any of you right now, so will you excuse me for a while?" He continued walking upstairs and left the baffled residents.

"What does he think he's doing?" Akiha grumbled.

"Beats me," Arcueid replied and shook her shoulders. "But he's right. We shouldn't just sit and do nothing. We've got to do something."

"But where should we start?" Shiki asked. "We don't know where to look for Alex in the first place, and we still need to know what the Dragoon Society actually wants from him."

"Then why don't we go and kick their butts right away?" Arcueid suggested.

"That wouldn't be possible," he insisted. "They've got quite a strong regiment, and the Judges were formidable too, though we have edged them a bit after Logan joined us."

"So?" Arcueid spoke.

The head of the Tohno family sighed. "In other words, we can only sit and wait."

x-x

Sion was seating beside the window, emptily staring at the night sky. Her heart was not fully healed after the tragic loss she witnessed right before her eyes. She was traumatized, and she was deeply shattered from the inside that it was not known of how she would recover. Even Shiki's effort to help her getting through it was unsuccessful, and she was now left alone in a condition so miserable to see.

"Can I come in?" The request was promptly ignored, and she remained idle beside the window. She took no notice of Logan who approached her and stood beside her. "We need to talk, Sion."

"Go away," she weakly replied.

"What? What do you expect me to do?" he replied and held her shoulder. Roughly she brushed it off and turned away from him, whilst putting the blanket she was holding around her body. "What the hell's wrong with you? Why you refuse to look at me!" he roared and grabbed her shoulders.

She gasped at the rough grab and tried to pull away from his possession. "Let me go! Let me go, please!" she protested and repeatedly punched his chest.

"Listen to me, Sion! Listen to me THIS ONCE!" The young woman stopped struggling and stared at him in watery gaze. "Look, Alex won't die easily, and he's not the type who would let himself down! Do you understand?"

"But… but…"

"After all the days you've shared with him, you no longer have faith in him and believed that he's dead instead? What do you think will be his response if he sees you like this?" he asked and tightened his grab on her shoulders. "Think about it for once, Sion. Will he ever give up his fights? Will he?"

Unable to contain her emotion, Sion fell onto his body and clung onto him very tightly, burying her tears-laden face on his leather jacket. "But I don't want to lose him, not even to Lia…! Why does he have to go…" she sobbed.

Logan said nothing to answer her. He merely let her crying on his jacket, while softly patting her scalp. The tears start to dampen him, yet he did not care of that. Strong or not, he realized, she was still a girl who needs someone to sooth her heart. As slowly as he could, he pushed her away and wiped off the tears. "Take a rest, okay? You might need it," he said. She just nodded and returned to her bed. He gave her the blanket and headed back to the door when she called him. "What is it?"

"Can you stay? I feel like want to know everything about him from you," she said.

The man in his late 40's could only smile at the request and took a seat beside her. "Sure. I'll tell you everything I know about him."


	14. Chapter 14: The name is Tanaka Eiko

**Heart of the Melting Blood  
****Legend of the Moonlight  
****Written and conceived by:** Lone Wolf NEO

Lone Wolf NEO does not own any of all the games or anime or manga featured in this story, but he owns the copyright to all his original ideas in this fiction. The author would really appreciate it if readers do not plagiaries everything inside this story without his knowledge.

**Chronological Note:** _Heart of the Melting Blood: Legend of the Moonlight_ takes place scarcely half a year after the event in _Heart of the Melting Blood RELOADED_, and currently runs roughly in parallel with _Guilty Gear: the World within and Without_ written and created by Sheo Darren. This is _Heart of Melting Blood: Legend of the Moonlight's_ new arc, the Awe of She Arc, which takes approximately a week after events in FATE Arc, and takes place in a peaceful, seaside town away from all the chaos and disorders. This is the arc where another half of the story will be revealed, thus completing the story… hopefully.

**Author's** **notes**: several scenes as shown later on are borrowed from Sheo Darren's _The Wedding Night 2_ series, reused and recycled to fit the story. And this is going to be long chapter… probably.

**Chapter 14  
**"**The name is Tanaka Eiko…"**

Geese Tower, South Town.

"_Reppuken_! Double _Reppuken _Delayed Attack! _Jaei_ _Ken_! _Shippuken_! _Hado_ _Senpu_ _Kyaku_! Wait a minute, that last move wasn't mine."

"Stun Dipper! Stun Edge! Midair Stun Edge Charge Attack! Greed Sever! Morning Star Wind Fang! For God's sake, why did I use that last move?"

"Those attacks of yours can't hit me, Kiske-_san_. Let me quote my father on that: _Predictable_."

The force of the reversal was too much, and the Holy Knight was instantly tossed to a wall and crashed. Kawane Misaki, the former associate of the _Eternal Fighter Zero_ league, now Misaki Howard, was not even batting an eyebrow or dropping a sweat after tossing Ky across the entire room with enormous power. "Kiske-_san_, I thought you'd fight a bit harder than I expected," she said and sighed. "I wished you had used all your strength on me."

"Damn you!" Ky got back on his feet, braced himself and hurled forward with Thunderseal drawn. "RIDE THE LIGHTNING!"

Misaki shook her head in amusement. "Do I have to do it again, Kiske-_san_?" She caught Thunderseal's blade and tossed Ky across the room for the second time, without even bulging from where she was standing. "For the second time today: _Predictable_."

This time, he was slower to get up. Way too slow than the last time he mistakenly fought Geese. "IMPOSSIBLE! How can I be defeated by a girl? This cannot be happening!"

Misaki merely ran a finger through her satin black hair. "This is from vigorous training both father and I had, Kiske-_san_. You should be lucky to fight me today; had father taken my place instead…"

Exactly a second after Misaki finished her word, an explosion shook the entire tower. Ky was shocked and looked above him; the ceiling was shaking violently as if been trembled by a violent force. Misaki, instead, remained still and kept running a hand through her hair. "What in the name of God is that!" he demanded and almost lost his balance.

"That's what's going to happen if both of you were to fight," she answered and took a deep breath. "I just hope both of them are alright."

The scene switched to a steel-reinforced room one floor above the training hall Misaki and Ky were in. Inside it, two gale warriors of Howard clan clashed in a battle so vicious nobody dared to approach its vicinity. Geese and Rock had been exchanging attacks from the time they started their duel two hours ago, and intense energy wave was emitted from all their attacks that collided. Their projectiles, especially, were ludicrously powerful; so powerful they were that the tower was trembling violently. Had the steel walls not been there, the whole tower would've been reduced to mere piles.

Geese laughed and made a mocking pose. "Is that all you've got, sonny? Come up and fight! My joints are too itchy to do attacks right now," he taunted.

Rock shrugged and wiped thick sweats that were dripping off his face. "Don't look down upon me, dad! I may look weak, but I will not give up!" He immediately got up from his crouching position and charged toward Geese in his Rage Run. "Here I come!"

"Hah, your move is way too _predictable_!" Geese insisted and reversed the dunking fist Rock followed up from the move. The young wolf was flung across the room and crashed on the steel wall with incredible force. The Most Powerful Man in the World laughed at his opponent who toppled on his feet, and tossed a violent Double _Reppuken_. Rock immediately made an evasion roll and countered with his version of Double _Reppuken_. Geese laughed again and easily blocked the projectile. "Hah! Not even that attack can- eh?"

"I got you, dad."

Rock was standing behind him. He had apparently used the Double _Reppuken_ as a decoy and Shifted toward Geese. And he was now grapping the old man's _gi_. _"SHINKUU NAGE!"_ The throw sent Geese flying in the air, directly over Rock who Broke the move soon after performing it.

"RISING STORM!"

Both fists were slammed, and a powerful gale storm gushed upward from the floor. It wildly engulfed Geese who had no time to react or air-recover, and the Most Powerful Man in the World was trapped in his own overdrive. For the unknown time, the room was shaken and this time it was as if the whole of South Town was trembling.

The Rising Storm stopped, and Geese dropped flat on the floor. Rock fell on his knees, gasping heavily for air. He glanced at his father who tried to wake up and fell back to the floor, and grinned to himself. He had won the duel, and claimed victory from his father; an effort which seemed impossible to accomplish. In other words, Rock had whooped Geese's ass this time.

Or is it?

"That was the most powerful Rising Storm I've ever felt." Rock gasped in horror. Before him, Geese had risen back on his feet, and he was unaffected at all! The Most Powerful Man in the World was correcting his _gi_, cracking his neck and stretching his arms, as if nothing had affected him. He noticed Rock's horrified look and grumbled. "What's the matter? Have you forgotten that old man never dies? Even Lone Wolf and Sheo know that."

At the floating city of Venice, Terry Bogard sneezed, and Madlax who was with him at the café giggled. "I wonder who mentions my name right now," he demanded and rubbed his itchy nose.

"That person wasn't probably talking about you, Mister Bogard," Madlax replied, sweetly smiling at the lone wolf.

Terry stared at the mercenary in silk gown, and blinked. "Eh?"

The scene switched again. It's time for the legendary and feared REUSED SCENES, Round 1!

The camera switched to the edge of a cliff. M. Bison, with his infamous square chin and evil grin, was seen gathering his power for his Psycho Crusher.

The camera switched to an island. Akuma was shown charging up for his ultra-cheap _Hadouken_ attack.

The camera switched to a stadium. Heihachi was seen making his intimidating battle cry while doing his Skull-Crusher fist onto his opponent during a _Tekken_ tournament.

The camera switched to an old mansion. Ryuuhei-_ojiichan_ was seen chanting in ancient language with Seiji assisting him, while Hazuki and Kouhei watched in fear (author's note: they are courtesy of Tsukuyomi Moon Phase). "Evil of Mother Nature, enemy of mankind, threat to the future, I command you, DISPEL!" he declared and tossed the talisman he was holding to a monster.

The camera switched for the unknown time. Cervantes was seen standing on his ship, laughing in victory after winning his duel. Lying on the floor were Cassandra, Taki, Seung Mina and -of course- Talim; all were defeated by the pirate lord. "This is not fair! Where's Wolfie when I need him?" Cassandra whined.

The camera switched again to a person who was sitting under the moon, holding a bottle of rice wine and reciting poems. His mantle cape that resembled those from _Spawn_ was flapping to the rhythm of the night breeze, along with his ponytail that seemed to defy the law of gravity. Readers would be easy to guess it. It's Seijuro Hiko himself.

Again, Yuuki watched at the reused scenes from aboard Death Star and sweatdropped. "Why would Lone Wolf use those scenes way back in _The Wedding Night_ series?" she wondered. "And why was Talim defeated in that duel? Why is Terry paired up with Madlax? Damn, I forgot to ask Lone Wolf-_san_ on those accounts."

"Why she has to be scandalous?" I-No asked, even while the familiar tune of _Scandalous_ echoed from the space station's PA system.

"Who knows, but she's been like that lately," Raven shrugged.

Ruri glared at That Girl, simply answered, "_baaka_," and left to her room. I-No and Raven glanced at the captain of _Nadesico_ sweatdropped.

"No way!" Rock exclaimed.

"Yes way," Geese answered and immediately started powering up for his ultimate finisher. "And since I said 'yes way' you better not say 'no way' this time. DEADLY RAVE!"

The scene finally switched to Misaki and Ky, the latter blinked in surprise at the plot. "That was a shocking development," he uttered. Misaki giggled at the reply, and Ky snapped at it. "What are you laughing at?"

"No, nothing," she said. She later glanced to the door when she heard someone knocking it. "Come in, please." The door opened, and an agent walked into the room with several companions. "Oh, it's father's agents. If you're looking for him, he's occupied right now. Is there anything I can do for him?"

"Miss Howard, here's the report your father had requested," the agent spoke and gave her an envelope. Misaki took it, tore it and took out several pieces of paper from it. "All of these are reports of the group your father had ordered us to investigate. I hope you can hand it over to him as soon as possible."

"I will. Thank you for doing the job, gentlemen," she thanked. "You may leave."

The agents bowed to her and left the room, and Ky was watching at them in wonder before looking at the report over Misaki's shoulder. "What does it say?" he asked.

"It's about a group of female warriors father has been interested in for two months," she told him, while flipping through the papers. "He had heard of them after seeing their leader winning a local tournament, but before he could meet the leader she left the city."

"So he sent in agents to investigate?" Ky asked. "Why doesn't he ask the police to do the works?"

Misaki coughed at the reply. "Kiske-_san_, my father is a crime lord. Does he actually need them to help?"

Ky was silenced by the answer before he shook his head in embarrassment. "Oh, I almost forgot," he uttered. "Then what happened next?"

"That's what I want to know, Kiske-_san_," Misaki said and read the report. "Hmm… Maidens of Purple Lotus, a group of highly trained female monks and skilled in close combat and chi-based fighting techniques. Believing in the code of honoured warriors, they are often strike fears into the heart of criminals and wrongdoers wherever they go. There have been no known reasons behind the establishment of the group, but investigation shows that the maidens are serving to… an underground movement."

"Underground what?" Ky said.

"The maidens here were working with an underground movement," Misaki answered. "At least, that's what the report here says. What's your thought, Kiske-_san_?"

The knight took the report and read the remaining pages. "From what I understand, underground movements are usually formed with intention to overturn any governments." His eyebrow suddenly twitched as he read a page. "For God's sake, I know this woman!" he said and pointed to the picture of a woman.

Misaki took a glance at the picture. "You know her?"

"Tanaka Eiko, a criminal in the IPF's most wanted list," he said and read the profile. "Responsible for murdering most of former knights of the Holy Orders, she has often escaped us when we think we are close to capturing her. We haven't had any ideas of why she would target the knights, but our investigations revealed…" He was silenced. He was blinking in shock when he read a part of the profile. "For God's sake, I never thought to see this!"

"What do you mean?" Misaki asked.

Ky pointed to a paragraph. "On her 18th birthday, she tied an engagement with Johansson Rudolf who worked with the Holy Orders in Germany. The news of his death reached her knowledge, and she was depressed by the death of her fiancé that she fled from the colony was living in and disappeared. The report says that he and his colleagues were killed by an assassin from the Guild during an operation at Hamburg. This is so unbelievable…"

"What's so unbelievable about?" Misaki asked.

"I knew that assassin well," he said and clenched a fist. "Way too well."

x-x-x-x-x

Today, the group would be going to the beach, and they were already too eager to have fun there. With only a day left before the Summer Festival, the girls were excited to have fun picnicking and playing at the beach. And they were gathering in front of the summer house before heading to the beach.

Venom gulped in fear as Millia was already threatening him with hair-scalpel. "I know you don't want me to look at you or the girls _in that way_, but can you stop doing that already?" he demanded.

"Aw, yeah right," Millia insisted and transformed the scalpel into a sword. "You should've knocked the door before coming in. Pervert."

"That was an accident!" he answered. "Besides, who would peek at you while dressing up?"

Hotaru was glowering at him in an angry look. "_Mou_, Venom-_san_ _ecchi_," she blatantly spoke. "Why would you want to come into the room? We had told you not to go there while we dressed up, didn't we?"

Venom blushed. "I'm not a pervert! I've told you it was an accident!"

Standing beside Hotaru was an equally embarrassed Hibiki. "Accident or not, you've disgraced yourself as a married man. You should be ashamed of yourself," she insisted, her hand was too eager to pull out a _kamae_ from her sword.

Venom glared at the Takane heir. "Then why don't you ask your Lone Wolf to come here instead? I'm sure he doesn't mind getting surrounded by girls in bikinis." The answer made her blush in embarrassment and bopped his head with a _tessen_ she produced in the air. Venom cried in dismay at the hit, and Millia was looking at Hibiki in surprise.

"I thought you'd do it only to Lone Wolf," she commented.

"Don't talk about it," Hibiki demanded while murderously glowered at Venom. _"Ecchi nano ha ikenai to moimasu! _Venom_-san baaka!"_

"Why do I have to receive all the torments?" Venom grumbled and frowned in defeat.

Dizzy was the only who didn't seem to be angry. She was busy admiring the swimsuit she had bought at the town days earlier. The bandana --a sweet reminder of her old days as a Jellyfish Pirate-- was firmly tied on her head, and she corrected it as not to let it fall off. She then made several poses and giggled to herself, even as a faint blush tinted her cheeks.

She heard a chuckle and turned around. Hotaru, Dizzy and Millia were staring at her with eyes full of mischief. "Aw, Dizzy-_chan_ wants Alex-_san_ to see her in swimsuit. I'm so jealous," Hotaru teased.

"Oh, my, I wonder what Ky will say when he sees this," Millia wondered.

"Indeed, and Dizzy-_chan_ looks very cute in the bikini today," Hibiki added.

Dizzy blushed at the comments and shooed the three women away. "Why are you teasing me?" she demanded, pouting at the teases she had to face.

"Because you're getting too close to Alex-_san_, and we're making sure you won't stray from your intention," Hotaru said and made a 'no-no' signal. "And playing deceitful is a no-no for a married woman, Dizzy-_chan_. Don't say that I didn't tell you."

"Hotaru-_chan_!" she cried and chased Hotaru down the road. Millia and Hibiki stared at the two young women in wonder, then nodded to each other and followed them. Venom walked behind, carrying the picnic basket while mumbling in low voice.

"By the way, I thought Alex's going to join us," Millia said. "Did you see him anywhere, hubby?"

"He told me he'll follow us later," Venom told her and glanced back at the house. "What took him so long?"

x-x

Alex was scavenging his room. He had dropped something, and he was busy looking for it to take to the beach. "Where did I put it? I'm sure it's somewhere inside this room," he pondered and looked under the bed. Then he looked over the closet, beneath the mattresses and inside the drawers. "Strange, where did I put it?" he asked and scratched his head.

A loud rustling noise caught his ears. Quickly he looked outside the window, but saw nothing. _Maybe it was some kids walking around_, he thought and resumed his search. Then the noise became louder, and it was approaching his room. Alex stopped his search, looked at the outside and decided to investigate. Seizing his walking stick, backpack and the guitar, he headed to the back of the house.

"Who's there? Will you please come out right now?" he asked aloud. Several seconds passed, and there was no answer. "If you don't have any business to do, I'd like you to leave now." Then he heard footsteps coming from the woods. He turned around, and saw a woman in blue cape walking toward him. "See? That wasn't hard. So would you like to tell me what are you doing here?"

"Alexander Hahn, I've found you at last," the woman spoke.

He blinked and stared at the newcomer in intrigue. "Have we met before?"

The woman growled at the response and removed the cloak. Alex cooed in amazement at the outfit she wore; something that seemed to come from ancient Chinese period, complete with gauntlets and bead necklace hung about her neck. "The name is Tanaka Eiko, leader of the Maidens of Purple Lotus," the woman introduced herself and opened a battle stance.

"What business do you have with me, Miss Tanaka?" Alex asked.

The woman pointed a finger at his face. "Avenging the death of my fiancé Johansson. Prepare yourself, Alexander Hahn!"

Alex could not help himself but to laugh. "Excuse me? What did I do to cause his death?" he said. Eiko shivered in anger and pounced at him, trying to land a fist onto his face. It missed and she almost slipped off her feet. "Whoa, there. I don't know any grudge you have against me, but why are you attacking me?" he asked.

"_Why_ am I attacking you?" Eiko replied. "Don't you remember what you had done to him ten years ago, Alexander?"

"What are you talking of, Miss Tanaka? If I remember everything," he said and frowned. He started scratching his head and murmuring under low voice, as he tried to relate his words to events that appeared in his mind. Then he stared back at the woman, and seemed confused. "Did I ever do anything in the first place?"

Eiko calmed down and lowered her fist. "I see. You don't seem to remember," she uttered. She took back the cloak, wore it around her body and headed back to the forest. "What a pity. This business should've ended today if you still remember it. Very well; if you want the answer, meet me at the hill this midnight," she spoke before disappeared in the woods. "I'll be waiting with the answers you need. _Ja_."

He remained idle at the back of the house, and just watched at her who disappeared in the woods. Then, "what did she want from me?" he said to himself. He decided, later, that it was not essential to think of it and headed down the hill. "Sorry for being late," he apologized as he approached the group.

"_Mou_, Alex-_san_, you could've told us you want to pick up stuffs back there," Hotaru said.

He laughed and scratched the back of his back. "I was looking for something at my room. Sorry," he said. "So, shall we go now?"

"OKAY!"

x-x

"I must say," Venom told Alex as the two men took shelter under the umbrella, watching at the women who were happily playing volleyball at the edge of the water. "That you've become closer to Dizzy since you came here. You should be careful, since you know she's been married."

Alex just breathed out, even as his eyes were locked at Dizzy. "Why can't I? After all, she's willing to help me," he answered. He later waved at the Gear; she waved back at him and continued playing volleyball when she squealed in dismay at the water splashed upon her face. Alex couldn't help but to laugh when Dizzy chased Hotaru into the sea and caught her body.

"Why don't you join them, Mister Rage?" he asked.

Venom snorted at the suggestion. "With Millia? I've been bullied like hell ever since we came here. So the answer would be NO." Just then he was hit by Silent Force, and he immediately glanced at Millia. "Alright, lady. Why don't you come over here and fight?"

The displeased Millia put both hands on her slender hips, and glowered at Venom. "Why, hello there Mister Rage. Who _accidentally_ entered the room and left without apologizing for peeking? Shame on you, even Alex knows how to respect women." Venom lost patience and pounced toward Millia, and the assassin woman ran away from him. Alex just watched at the married couple in amazement before fell on his back. His mind was thinking of the mysterious woman named Eiko who claimed to know everything about him. What she wanted from him, and what she knew about his past, he wanted to know.

"Wait a minute," he said and sat back. "I shouldn't think of that right now. I better join those guys right away." He jumped on his feet and ran toward Dizzy who was tightly holding Hotaru in her arms. "Am I disturbing you girls?"

"No, you aren't," Hotaru said and pushed away from Dizzy. She jumped toward Alex and teasingly stuck out her tongue at the Gear. "You want to know something, Alex-san? Dizzy-_chan_ wants you to praise her new look," she said, causing Dizzy to blush in embarrassment. "Aw, look at that. She's so embarrassed. Boo-hoo, I'm so jealous."

Alex stared at Dizzy from tip to toe, and that made her even more uncomfortable. "Will you stop looking at me like that, Alex?" she pleaded and covered her bust. "The way you look at me is making me embarrassed. _Mou…!_"

He laughed, and she pouted at the response. "Come on, you look so pretty in it. What's so embarrassing about?" he insisted, and was promptly splashed on the face. He stared at Dizzy and was splashed more. "If you stop doing that, I promise to treat you and Hotaru with ice-creams. So please stop doing it."

"Like I want to listen to you," Dizzy replied and splashed more water at his face.

He started to lose patience. "Don't do that, Dizzy. I'm warning you."

She laughed and splashed sea water to his face before finally ran away. "Catch me if you can, Alex!" she shouted.

Alex wiped off the salty water from his face when Hotaru suddenly splashed him. "Not even you?" he yelled out and chased the two women across the coastline. "Come back here, both of you! Don't mess with me!"

"_Kyaa_! Alex-_san_ is trying to catch us!" both Dizzy and Hotaru yelled and ran faster.

x-x-x-x-x

"I have won!" Rock declared and lifted a victorious fist. He had been beaten to death by Geese's many punches and kicks, tossed across the room by the Predictable throw, vigorously hit by _Reppuken_ and owned by Deadly Rave, and in the end he was the champion.

He stared at his father, who seemed to be a little upset. "Dad, what's the matter?"

"I cannot believe this," he answered, batting an eyebrow in amazement. "To be actually _defeated_ by my own son, this has to be the most unexpected day I've ever had. And I don't even get to have a glorious defeat."

Rock growled at the suggestion. "Don't even attempt doing it, dad," he insisted and folded his arms. "Why would you have to do that? It's stupid."

"Why not?" Geese demanded. "All of old men's deaths are always dramatic."

The camera switched. It's time for REUSED SCENES, Round 2!

The scene switched. Mr. Bison was seen crushed by his own Psycho Crusher, and buried under the cliff that collapsed under his Psycho power.

The scene switched again. Akuma was seen engulfed by an explosion that destroyed the isolate island, after trying to break the limit of his power.

The scene switched. It was Heihachi, pinned down by a battalion of Gun-Jacks at a temple, after Kazuya betrayed him and left. One of the robots exposed itself to him as a time-delayed bomb, and exploded altogether with its comrades. "Heihachi Mishima," Raven the black ninja declared and left the hill, "is dead."

The scene switched again to the old mansion. Ryuuhei-_ojiichan_ and Seiji were punched by the monster, and crashed on the wall. Hazuki and Kouhei screamed in horror and ran toward the downed old man.

The scene switched again. Cervantes was bopped on his head and tossed to the sea by an angry Link who happened to be at the port. "Touch Talim and die! Only I can touch her!" he declared. Talim blushed at the comment.

The scene switched for the last time to the hill outside the city of Kyoto. Hiko collapsed on the ground after receiving a fatal blow of _Amakakeru Ryuno Hirameki_ from his 'stupid apprentice' Kenshin -but not before his memorable quote to the scarlet samurai.

"Whatever," Rock grumbled and stylishly swayed his hair. "Hey, dad. Remember the Summer Festival you promised to take us there? Why don't we go there with Misaki tomorrow?"

"You know, Rock, I like you and your brilliant idea," Geese uttered and stood back on his feet. "But why didn't you bring Hotaru along? A husband and wife should go along together, don't you know?"

"Don't ask me," the young wolf said and shrugged. "It was she who wanted to go to the summer house with Dizzy, and she didn't even tell me about that. Sheesh, what are they up to?"

Just then, Ky stormed in with an angry look on his face. Both Rock and Geese stared at the Holy Knight who was staring at the former, Thunderseal withdrawn. "Don't ever tell him those _shoujo-ai_ things!" he demanded.

"What's wrong with him, Rock?" Geese asked.

The blonde heir of Howard family merely shook his head. "He's been scandalous since we came here. Don't worry, dad, he just doesn't like to see Hotaru and Dizzy paired up," and then a mischievous look sparkled from his eyes, "like Himeko and Chikane, for instance."

Geese scratched his chin and nodded at the statement. "I see."

Ky was annoyed. Way too annoyed. "Sacrilege! Your sin is beyond the grace of God!" he screamed and dashed toward Rock in Ride the Lightning. Yet Geese already stood in his path, both his arms opened in his reversal. "Oh no! I'm…"

"_Predictable."_


	15. Chapter 15: Invoke and be Ignited

**Heart of the Melting Blood  
Legend of the Moonlight  
Written and conceived by:** Lone Wolf NEO

Lone Wolf NEO does not own any of all the games or anime or manga featured in this story, but he owns the copyright to all his original ideas in this fiction. The author would really appreciate it if readers do not plagiaries everything inside this story without his knowledge.

**Chronological Note:** _Heart of the Melting Blood: Legend of the Moonlight_ takes place scarcely half a year after the event in _Heart of the Melting Blood RELOADED_, and currently runs roughly in parallel with _Guilty Gear: the World within and Without_ written and created by Sheo Darren. This is _Heart of Melting Blood: Legend of the Moonlight's_ new arc, the Awe of She Arc, which takes approximately a week after events in FATE Arc, and takes place in a peaceful, seaside town away from all the chaos and disorders. This is the arc where another half of the story will be revealed, thus completing the story… hopefully.

**Chapter 15  
Invoke and be Ignited**

Midnight came, and the summer house was silent. The sound of crickets chirping from beneath the woods further added the tranquillity of the night. It would be just another 12 hours before the Summer Festival, and the women were more than eager to enjoy the festival in their new _yukata_. So eager they were that they were busy chattering with each other along the night, forgetting their time to sleep.

Not for this lone wolf.

Alex was standing next to the windows. After having fun with Dizzy and the summer group earlier today, he decided to put all thoughts of the memory aside and concentrated his mind on Eiko. The woman with self-proclamation as the leader of the Maidens of Purple Lotus, and with unknown revenge against him; he was wondering of what she wanted from him.

"_Meet me at the hill this midnight; I'll be waiting with all the answers you need."_

"Fine, if she insists to," he pondered and wore his eyeglasses. He looked at the reflection of himself on the mirror, sighed as he watched at his messy appearance and left the room. As slowly as he could he stepped toward the kitchen, not wanting to wake up all the sleeping residents. He later took the marionette gloves from sleeves of his shirt and wore them. "Good, this should do it," he uttered and ran toward the hill. It was an easy journey as the hill was not far from the summer house, and he reached the destination in under ten minutes.

"You're late, Alexander Hahn," Eiko, the woman he wanted to know who was heard saying as he approached a boulder at the topmost of the summit.

"I'm never late, Miss Tanaka. A man always keeps true to his promise," he said and looked around the hilltop. "So can I get the answers you had promised to give?"

Eiko said nothing to answer him. Instead she snapped her fingers, and in seconds the hilltop was full of maidens who appeared from nowhere, and were surrounding Alex. "I should give you the answers, but I will not do so until this revenge is exacted," the woman spoke and walked away from the boulder.

"Again? Just what did I do that have angered you?" he asked.

"Because you killed Johansson, and you destroyed our future!" she cried and clenched her fists. "When I thought I could tell him I agreed to become his wife… you took his life and you took our hope away! Murderer! You must be punished for this!"

She pounced at him and landed a punch onto his midsection. He braced himself for a while, endured the attack then pushed her faraway. "Miss Tanaka, I'd advice you not to do that," he said and evaded a maiden's attack from the behind. "And please explain to me what I had done to you. I really don't know anything. Honest."

"Don't talk to me!" Eiko screamed and ordered her minions to attack Alex en masse. "I know what you had done, and I won't hold back until you pay everything back! Don't say that you forgot everything!"

Caught in the chaos, Alex parried and deflected and evaded all attacks that were directed at him. He was unlucky to overlook a maiden and was kicked on the back of his head. He was knocked away from the maidens and crashed on a pile of woods. He tried to get up when he saw Eiko approaching him, failing to notice the chain whip she was holding as he had dropped his eyeglasses during the crash.

"Miss Tanaka, please, you need to explain everything to me," he pleaded and shook his ringing head. "If you don't, then how am I going to admit my mistakes?"

"You're a criminal, and a criminal doesn't need a reason to listen to," Eiko answered and aimed the chain whip at his head. "Prepare for your death, Alexander Hahn!"

His head and ears rang more, and he could not see the oncoming attacks. All he could heed was an angered battle cry, and a slipstream of air that was coming at his way. Then a glimpse of flashback knocked his mind, and he remembered everything that happened in it very clear.

x-x

"_Where do you think you're going, Alex-san?" all along came Hibiki's concerned voice as he was stepping away from the summer house. He turned around and saw the swordswoman walking out of the kitchen._

"_Where am I going? Of course to take a breath of tonight's fresh air," he said, not telling her his true intention. He later noticed the two suspicious eyes were staring at him. "What's the matter? Don't you believe me?"_

"_You're forced to fight somebody out there, aren't you?" Hibiki suggested._

"_What are you talking about, Miss Takane?" Alex asked. "I did tell you I'm going out for fresh air."_

_Her eyes peered. "I saw you wearing the marionette gloves before leaving the house. As far as I know, there are only two groups of people who would use the gloves," she spoke. "Puppeteers for a marionette show, and assassins to kill people. And assassins wouldn't wander around with such weapons unless there's someone they have to face."_

"_What does the last group have to do with this conversation, Miss Takane?" Alex asked._

"_Alex-san, I'd advice you not to do anything stupid that would hurt you," Hibiki reminded. "It isn't not for me, but for Dizzy-chan. What will she think if she sees you getting hurt?"_

"_Please, Miss Takane," Alex pleaded and started cracking his fingers. "I don't really like to have argument with you, but I need to go. This matter must be finished tonight, or I won't be able to…"_

_Hibiki stared at him for a very long time, even as the midnight wind started breezing. Then she sighed and handed him a wooden sword. "Here, take this with you. You might need it," she said._

_He took the wooden sword and slung it on his belt. "Thank you, Miss Takane. I promise I won't let myself be hurt. And please don't tell Dizzy where I'm going; she might be worried if you do. And if she does find out," and here he glanced back at Hibiki, "don't allow her to interfere. This is for her own good."_

_Hibiki nodded. "I will, Alex-san. A warrior will hold onto her words whatever happens."_

x-x

Alex immediately withdrew the wooden sword and deflected the chain whip. He jumped away from Eiko and shot strings from his palm, entangling the maiden he targeted at. He pulled Eiko toward him, landed a punch on her midsection and knocked her out before jumped away from another maiden that was attacking.

"He's getting away!" Eiko shouted as she regained her balance. "Block all paths to this hill! Don't allow him to escape this area!"

He stopped in the middle of the escape and plunged the wooden sword into the ground. Instantly a massive shockwave was unleashed and knocked most of the maidens away. He slowly arose, spun the wooden sword in his hand and made a stance with strings fully withdrawn from his marionette gloves.

"I'm sorry, ladies," he spoke as the maidens pounced back at him. "But don't blame me if something happens to you!"

x-x-x-x-x

Hibiki returned to the kitchen after finishing some matters outside the summer house with Alex. She had seen him going to the hill, and from her intuitions he was going to be in trouble. Hence she decided to lend him her wooden sword, and it was the best thing she could do to help him.

She headed to her room and found herself facing the worried face of Dizzy. From the look of it, she could guess that the Gear woman was looking for someone. "What's wrong, Dizzy-_chan_? You're supposed to sleep at this time, right?" she asked.

"Where has he gone to?" Dizzy asked.

"Who you're talking of, Dizzy-_chan_?" Hibiki replied.

"I saw Alex leaving the house. Where's he gone to?" the hybrid repeated the question. "Hibiki-_chan_, please tell me where he's gone to."

Hibiki was reluctant. She had promised Alex to keep the duel secret from Dizzy; yet somehow the young woman was very persistent and kept asking her of where Alex had gone to. "Please, Hibiki-_chan_; I may not know what he's up to, but where is he?" she pleaded and stared at the heir of the Takane clan in the infamous, if not frowned upon, puppy-doggy eyes. Hibiki coughed when she saw the dreadfully cute stare. Supreme and disciplined of a warrior she might be, she would still be helpless against a certain puppy-doggy eyes. Besides, the person who gave her such kind of look happened to be her friend, if not the best, and she understood her better than anyone else.

"_Onegai_, I beg of you…" Dizzy pleaded, as her eyes became more droopy and watery.

"Dizzy-_chan_…" She breathed out. _This better be good; gomennasai, Alex-san, but I can't keep the promise_. Tightly holding the _shirasaya__nihontou_ inherited from her late father Genzou, she stared at the Gear woman. "Alex-_san_ is…"

"INVOKE AND BE IGNITED!"

Subsequent to the battle cry, the hill behind the summer house trembled with force equal to the tsunami that struck the south-eastern region of the world's largest continent. Hibiki, Dizzy and the rest of the residents were shocked by the monstrous quake and looked at the hill. What they saw was both shocking and terrifying; a group of warrior maidens and a lone fighter were 'dancing the sky' and exchanging hundreds of attacks, with the lone fighter shooting strings from his palm and knocking maidens that were trying to get close with the wooden sword. Dizzy, especially, was the most surprised.

"Alex?" The Gear woman rushed toward the fight scene when Hibiki stepped on her way. "Why are you stopping me? I must help him!" she cried.

Hibiki shook her head. "Alex-_san_ doesn't want you to be in his way," she uttered. "Let him be."

"I don't care of that! I must help him!" she cried, her eyes burning in rage.

The fight scene continued, as the massive group landed from their aerial dance and was engaged in fierce ground battle like never before. The warrior, the lone wolf of the Assassin's Guild and the former knight of the Holy Orders, were surrounded by the maidens of the Purple Lotus who were fully armoured and better equipped. Experience-wise, however, he had upper hand against the female fighters better; after all, who else had fought the knights, Gears and assassins in his past, managed to edge the best Holy Knight in Egypt and almost defeated the Dragoon judges in the judgment day?

Alex managed to knock most of the maidens away from him and opened a battle stance, while staring deeply at the women. He was breathing hoarsely for the want of air, and his suit was torn to pieces. The hand that was holding the wooden sword was trembling even as he tried to keep it tightly firm, and his other hand was bleeding from extensive usage of the puppet strings. That, with injuries he had from previous battles, did not deter him and he was more than eager to finish off the duel he had unwanted earlier. He would prove his innocence, even if hurting the maidens would be the last option.

"I've told you ladies," Alex spoke and warily watched at the maidens, "I won't hold back against all of you. I'd rather let you leave than to continue this fight." The maidens ignored the advice and resumed their fighting stance, and Alex could only sigh to see the response. "If you still insist to fight after this, then that's your own choice," he said and aimed the wooden sword at them.

"I shall kill you, Alexander!" Eiko screamed and pounced at Alex. Easily he evaded the punch and jumped away but a backhand kick hit the back of his neck afterwards and he did not see it coming. He was knocked back to the ground, was promptly mauled by the maidens en masse. He managed to break through and fled when a maiden appeared behind him and cloth-lined him. The maiden jumped over the downed fighter, dived back at him and aimed her gauntlets at his head. Quickly he threw the wooden sword at the maiden, knocked her aim off and rolled out of danger. He wasn't in luck again; Eiko had already waited and delivered a hard punch onto his torso. He was sent toward a boulder, crashed on it and knocked out. The leader of the Purple Lotus maidens approached the unconscious lone wolf, withdrew a bladed gauntlet and aimed it at his head.

"No, stop it!" Subsequently Dizzy jumped in front of Alex and opened her arms wide, as if not letting Eiko hurting Alex further. "Please stop it! He can't fight anymore!"

"Step aside, lady. Who do you think you are?" Eiko demanded.

"I'm his friend, and I'm responsible over his health!" Dizzy answered, not intimidated by the maidens who were encircling the twos. "Please don't hurt him anymore! _Onegai_!"

Eiko was crossed by the demand and ordered her minions to take the Gear woman away. "Your presence is nothing but hindrance. Take her away," she said and approached the dizzied Alex. "And you're going to witness this execution. It'll be a lesson for those who are trying to look down at us the maidens of purple lotus," she said. "Your days are over, Alexander Hahn. Say your last prayers."

"No, please leave him!" Dizzy cried as she tried to get away from the maidens' arrest. "Please leave Alex alone!"

x-x

"_No! Leave them alone! They have nothing to do with this!"_

"_Silence, Alex! For a knight whose responsibility is to protect justice and peace from enemy of mankind, you betrayed the code and chose to protect them! You have betrayed the teachings of the God and you have betrayed the honorary code of the Holy Orders."_

"_I don't care of that! Just leave them alone! They can't fight; even you knew that after your comrades attacked the children!"_

"_We killed the children because they possessed threat to mankind should we leave them to live. What do you know about these Gears you're trying to protect, Alex?"_

"_I protect them because they're the same as us! They live, they have soul, they have family, and they share this planet with us! Why can't you understand?"_

"_Your heart has been corrupted by these Gears, and you chose to live with these lowlifes. For that you shall die with them today."_

_x-x_

"_Do you understand what it takes to defend these people you called enemy, Alexander Hahn? You abandoned the orders, killed your own comrades and everyone else who would stand in your way just for the sake of this family of yours. As your mortal enemy, I am so surprised by all the acts you had done."_

"_I don't care if I have to kill all humans… they're the ones who must be blamed murdering my family, and I must punish them."_

"_Even if you'll forever be mankind's most detested traitor? Even if you're forced to abandon the world and live in solitude? Even if you're going to become a lone wolf? You should think of the consequences that will follow if you're going to take this path."_

"_I have no longer believed in everyone or anyone in this world… what's the use of justice if it can't even save someone we love and care so much? Even you must understand what it takes to become someone betrayed by his own people and lost all faiths."_

"_Fine. Then I'll show how justice should be served."_

"_For the sake of these people, I accept your challenge, Justice!"_

x-x

As if invoked by fury, Alex hastened to stand up, ignored his blurred eyes and pulled out final strings from the marionette gloves. "Don't hurt Dizzy…" he growled and started shivering uncontrollably. "DON'T HURT DIZZY!" He screamed a deafening battle cry, jumped over Eiko and entangled the maidens that were taking Dizzy away. Subsequent to that the maidens were jolted by energy currents seeping through the strings and collapsed, shivering from _chi_ overload. The lone wolf then pounced at Eiko, ensnared the maiden and stood behind her with a strand of cord aimed on her neck. "You may do anything to me, Eiko, but hurting Dizzy is a no-no…" he threatened.

"Then I shall kill you right now!" Eiko elbowed him hard, knocked him away and aimed her fist at him. Alex, however, was quicker and slammed his palm on the ground; immediately she was trapped in a web charged by _chi_. Unable to move and stunned by the electrocuting surge, she saw the angry eyes of the assassin staring down at him, and felt the murderous intent coming from them.

"Nobody dares harming her," Alex was heard speaking and spun the wooden sword. "And nobody dares involving her in this mess. I'll show you…" and here he lifted the sword and charged toward Eiko. "THE PRICE FOR HURTING HER!" With that said he propelled the wooden sword forward, driven by anger and madness, and aimed it at Eiko's throat.

"That's enough, Alex-_san_." Hibiki jumped in and deflected the thrusting attack. Alex was knocked back and charged back at the maiden when the swordswoman sliced the wooden sword into pieces. He promptly stopped, regained his sense and looked back and forth between Hibiki and Eiko. "You don't have to continue this. Please think of those who might be waiting for their homecoming," she calmly said and put an assuring hand upon his shoulder.

Alex calmed down and shook his head. "What the hell have I done?" he asked and cursed himself. "Damn, I'm not supposed to do this…!"

"As for you, Eiko-_san_," Hibiki spoke and released the maiden from the web. "You don't realize one thing about Alex-_san_: he suffered from amnesia and may have forgotten what he had done in the past. Even if he remembers, it would still be hard for him to regain everything back."

"But what about Johansson? What about the guilt he had done?" Eiko asked.

The Takane heir merely smiled and lightly patted her shoulder. "Forgiving one's mistake is the best thing you can do for now, even if it may be hurtful to your heart. This is the best of advice I can offer."

She frowned, trying not to protest the answer. "But… but…"

Hibiki turned her around and pointed to Alex who was assisted by Dizzy. "Look at him. Does he look like a criminal to you?" she asked.

Eiko said nothing. Instead, she tramped toward Alex and flung a fist at his chest. It was weak, and barely tumbled him. _"Baaka!"_ she cried and repeatedly pounded his chest. "Alexander _baaka_! Why do I have to let you go and can't avenge Johansson's death? Why?"

Alex merely touched her shoulder. "Miss Tanaka, I…" and then he smiled. "Why don't you come to the Summer Festival with us tomorrow? It's going to be fun if more people are coming."

"Alex, are you sure it'll be fine for her?" Dizzy asked.

"Well, I have to admit that she's trying to do you any harm," he answered. "But let us just do what Miss Takane suggested. Okay?" He stared back at Eiko who started crying and pounded his chest again. "Hey, cut it out, okay?" he asked and seized her shoulders. "It's over now. If you still want to hit me, then you better do it now because we may not have time for that tomorrow."

The maiden, instead, stopped pounding him and cried on his torn cloth. "Why must you be nice toward me?" she sobbed and clung onto him. Alex did not say anything and let her cry on him, even as the midnight breeze started blowing gently. "I hate you, Alexander… I hate you…"


	16. Chapter 16: Summer Lights part 1

**Heart of the Melting Blood  
Legend of the Moonlight  
Written and conceived by:** Lone Wolf NEO

Lone Wolf NEO does not own any of all the games or anime or manga featured in this story, but he owns the copyright to all his original ideas in this fiction. The author would really appreciate it if readers do not plagiaries everything inside this story without his knowledge.

**Chronological Note:** _Heart of the Melting Blood: Legend of the Moonlight_ takes place scarcely half a year after the event in _Heart of the Melting Blood RELOADED_, and currently runs roughly in parallel with _Guilty Gear: the World within and Without_ written and created by Sheo Darren. This is _Heart of Melting Blood: Legend of the Moonlight's_ new arc, the Awe of She Arc, which takes approximately a week after events in FATE Arc, and takes place in a peaceful, seaside town away from all the chaos and disorders. This is the arc where another half of the story will be revealed, thus completing the story… hopefully.

**Chapter 16  
Summer Lights Natsukage (part 1)**

The missing of Eiko and her Purple Maidens from the society worried Lia. The special squadron's service might still be needed by the society, and the Dragoons would have a hard time achieving their objective if the maidens weren't present. Already the society lost some of the best fighters to the hand of Alexander: Logan had left the society and lived in seclusion at Misaki Town; Longbow and his archery warriors had fallen in the battle with the FATE knights. That event left her with only Doctor Getter, Blaze and Spike to continue the remaining tasks. Moreover, she had been assuming whether the maiden of steel had gone to personally challenge her brother or not, judging from the report she received from Blaze's ninjas.

The thought went off her head when she heard Valentino calling. "What is it?" she asked and approached the door. There, she saw him wearing striped _yukata_ and accompanied by the society's workers. "What are you doing in the _yukata_, sir?"

"Please, Lia, don't call me _'sir'_," Valentino said, even as a generous smile carved upon his scar-riddled face. "I'm your uncle, and you know you don't have to be too formal with me all the time."

"I… I'm sorry," she apologized. "So what are you doing in the _yukata_, Uncle Valentino?"

"We're going to the summer festival at downtown," Valentino said. "It'd be a pleasure for the society if you could join us. Why don't you spend time outside this headquarters once in a while, Lia?"

"I'd like to, uncle, but no thanks," she replied and tried to smile. "I don't feel like attending any festival at this time. I'll just stay here instead."

Valentino was upset by the decline, yet he wasn't offended. He understood that his niece needed time to ease herself up after the event at the grassland that witnessed the failure of the judgment day she was to accomplish. "Very well. Then we'll be going now. Take care of yourself while you're here, okay?" he said and patted her shoulder.

"I will," she told him.

The old man waved at her and walked down the lane with the workers, while she bowed to him in respect. She, then, returned to her room and sat on the bed, wondering of the fun and excitement she would get from the festival.

x-x

"_Is it fun to be in summer festival, Brother Alex?"_

"_Of course it is, because there are many things we can do while we're there. And there are a lot of stuffs we can buy at the booths." _

"_But it's going to be crowded, right? I don't like to be in crowded place."_

"_It has to, because it's for everyone. You can't have all of the stuffs there alone; you have to let others have it. But it's really fun, because it's among a few days in the world where people get to be together and not thinking of problems that haunt them."_

"_Then are you going to take me to the summer festival, Brother Alex?"_

"_Yes, I am. And we're going there together. Just the two of us."_

"_Just both of us? Yaay! I love you so much, Brother Alex! Give me a piggy-ride!"_

_x-x_

Lia chuckled when the flashback emerged in her mind. At least the memory still remains fresh inside of her, she thought. It was a sweet nostalgia to spend time with the man she addressed to as brother, the man she dearly and deeply loved. The man she was forced to hate for the sake of the society she had vowed to serve to.

She shrugged all thoughts and approached the closet. "I should go to the town," she said and took out one of the yukata. She checked the _yukata_, embraced it close to her chest and smelled the fresh fragrance of its silken smoothness. "Brother Alex…" she whispered the name and tightened her grasp on the _yukata_. She breathed out, put the _yukata_ aside and pulled down the miko dress off her shoulder--

Again, fan boys who were supposed to be dead many chapters ago revived and cheered at the cloth-changing scene. Fan girls materialized from nowhere, pointed their fingers at the fan boys and demanded them to drop dead. Fan boys died and revived for the second time, before telling the fan girls to quit whining. The two parties started their "Fan Combat 4: Shattered Cries" and tossed stuffs and objects among each other. Heh, the usual.

"When will these stupid one-sided sibling love and cloth-changing scene-obsessed people actually learn to stop?" Sol demanded and Instant Killed them with Baptism by Fire. He grumbled when he looked at the charred remains of the people, holstered his Fireseal and walked a good half mile away from the scene.

"Sol-_kun_!" Immediately his firm neck was seized by the lithe arms of Kagura, already in her cute pink _yukata_. "Can we go to the summer festival now?"

"Right now?" Sol groaned and cursed to himself at the glomp --although he really likes it.

Kagura stared at him. "What's wrong? Don't you know where it'll be held?" she asked.

"Sol Badguy is a paedophile," a group of fan boys commented as they walked near the scene. "Sol Badguy is a paedophile! A paedophile is Sol Badguy! Once a paedophile, always be a paedophile, hey!"

(Side comment: hey, that rhymes!)

"Call me paedophile again and DIE!" Sol roared and tossed a gigantic Gun Flame at the group, literally incinerating them.

"Sol-_kun_, do you have to do that every time?" the Souma heir asked, even as the American Badass walked away from the scene he detested so much.

"Don't even ask," he demanded. He later stared at the cute and innocent Kagura and had the usual reaction every man would have: nosebleed. "Damn you for getting me through this, Lone Wolf," he cursed and wiped off the blood.

Onboard the Death Star, everybody was waiting for another chapter of _Baaka Wars_. Instead, Ruri wasn't heard saying her usual _"baaka"_ quote as she was seen busy double-checking the control panel. All of the crews, especially I-No and Raven, sighed in relief. "No more sassy-sassy Ruri-ruri this time," they said.

Ruri glared at the two assistants of Yuuki's. _"Baaka,"_ she simply said and continued her work. I-No and Raven stared at the commanding captain and sweatdropped.

--It took almost an hour for her to wear the _yukata_, but Lia managed to. She approached the wall mirror, looked at her reflection and giggled to herself even as she spun on her feet, admiring her beauty in the traditional Japanese costume. "Yes, this should do it," she said and walked out of the room.

"Mistress Lia," Blaze was heard calling her as he appeared from the back. "I'd wish to know the destination you're going to, and I'm willing to escort you until you reach your destination."

"Thank you, Blaze," she said and threw a convincing smile at the ninja. "But you don't have to. I'm just paying someone a visit."

x-x-x-x-x

The summer house remained the same. Despite the conflict between Alex and the maidens the previous night, everything seemed to be normal. It was as is the event was something forgettable and the summer group was not even talking about it. Indeed; they totally forgot about it since they were too busy preparing themselves for tonight's Summer Festival.

It was not the case for Dizzy.

Ever since the incident, she did not want to forgive Alex, nor having even a simple talk with him. She was angry at him for not thinking of himself or his safety and letting the maidens attack him. Even though he had tried his best to explain everything, she just wouldn't listen to him. Poor Alex; would he be able to convince her and apology to her?

"Aw, come on, Dizzy," Alex said, even as he chased Dizzy around the dining room. "Will you listen to me only for a while?"

"I won't listen to anything from you," Dizzy said and moved away from him as he tried to grab her arm. "Stupid. You should know that your sight isn't improved yet, why would you fight those maidens?"

"What else could I do that time? It was them who asked me to come," he answered. "I'm sorry. Will you forgive me?"

"No," she simply said. "Bad Alex, no supper for you tonight."

He tried not to laugh at the respond. "Why not?"

Dizzy turned to him, tramped toward him and prodded his chest. "Because you're stupid, and stupid people won't get supper from me. You know you still need to rest, and you know we aren't here to fight somebody else, and yet you wanted to fight them. Now look at you; not only you're hurt, you have nothing else to wear for tonight's summer festival."

"I can ask Venom to lend me some," he suggested.

She, instead, ignored the suggestion and turned away from him, folding her arms as a sign of objection. "_Baaka_. Alex, you're just too _baaka_."

He chuckled at the call and slowly approached her. "Okay, I must admit I'm stupid for what I did last night. I promise I'd do anything just to make sure you won't be angry at me, Dizzy. And please stop calling me _baaka_, please?"

Dizzy turned to him again. This time, a smile carved upon her face. "Okay, apology accepted. But with one condition," she signalled and made a "one" sign with her finger.

"Any conditions I will accept," Alex said. "I swear I'll do anything for you!"

"Then tonight," and here she made a childish face and fiddled with her fingers. "You must take me for a date." Instantly the girls appeared from behind the cover and cooed at the condition, teasingly laughed at Dizzy. She stared at them and noticed a look of mischief, with a sly grin upon their face. "Why are you making that face at me!" Dizzy demanded.

"_Ara_, _ara_, Dizzy-_chan_ has become _more_ daring than before," Hotaru said.

"I just hope Ky won't see both of them on a blind date," Millia pondered.

"But whatever it is, Dizzy-_chan's_ going to be gorgeous tonight," Hibiki suggested. "Just imagine seeing her in the cute _yukata_…"

Dizzy blushed in embarrassment and chased the three women out of the kitchen. "Why are you always teasing me!" she cried in dismay.

Alex just looked at the foursome and shook his head in amusement. He decided to leave them with their business and headed back to his room. He jumped onto his bed, stretched out and stared at the blank ceiling. He was disappointed; Eiko and her comrades left before he could even invite them to join the summer group for the summer festival, and he really wished to bring them to enjoy the festival. Yet her last words before she departed made him intrigued from the inside.

x-x

"_I may have forgiven you, but that doesn't mean the other judges will. You must remember, Alexander, that the Dragoon Society won't stop hunting you until the judgment day's accomplished. Just you wait."_

x-x

"What did she mean by judgment day? And who are those judges anyway?" he pondered and flung an arm over his forehead. Then he remembered a portion of flashback he had during the fight with the maidens last night; this time, it was the image of a person who was very intriguing to him. Curiosity started taking over; who was the person he talked with in flashback, and why did he feel so familiar?

A dismayed cry caught his attention, and it was coming from the living room. Quickly he rushed to the outside and found himself facing a battlefield made of clothes and feathers. Somehow the chase and argument had changed to a pillow fight, as the girls were pounding pillows and cushions among one another. "What's going on here?" he demanded and was promptly smashed by a flying pillow. He caught it and stared at the women who continued their pillow-bashing without even knowing his presence in the living room. "Is this what girls usually do whenever they're having gathering?" he asked and was again hit by a pillow. This time, he had it enough. He took a pillow and tossed it to the girls; it hit, and his victim happened to be Dizzy. "Uh-oh."

"Alex, you _baaka_!" Dizzy squealed and threw many pillows at him. He was hit by the pillows and crashed on the wall due to the strong shockwave he received from the hit. He looked in front of him and saw two angry eyes staring down at him, a pillow tightly held in hand.

"_Ara_, _ara_, Alex-_san_ has made Dizzy-_chan_ angry," Hotaru said with a shocked expression on her face.

"You know, making a married woman angry isn't the best thing to do," Millia reminded.

"Indeed, and what will become of our lone wolf after this?" Hibiki added.

"Uh, girls? Can we just talk for a little while?" Alex asked and gulped when he saw the angry eyes glowering deeper at him. The anger projected by Dizzy's eyes was so overwhelming that he was pushed deeper onto the wall. "Dizzy… I know that was an accident, but will you listen to me a second?" A pillow was bashed upon his face, and the last thing he knew was massive pounding against his body and shouts of anger, all directed at him. "Okay, that wasn't the nicest of answer I want to hear," he commented as he was bashed repeatedly on the head.

Then he blacked out.

x-x

"Man, you don't have to do that many times," Alex said and checked the bruises on his face. "Now look at what you've done, Dizzy. You just ruined my face and forced me to put bandages on these bruises. Lucky that I didn't get my nose smashed."

"I'm sorry, Alex," Dizzy apologized. "I didn't mean to hurt you."

"You know what, Dizzy-_chan_ can be mean sometimes," Hotaru said and glanced at Dizzy. "I still remember the first day we were introduced to each other. Dizzy-_chan_ used to bully me a lot back there, and believe me, Alex-_san_, she was such a meanie."

"Is that true, Dizzy?" Alex asked and turned to Dizzy who, at that time, was blushing in embarrassment.

"That was the thing of the past! And don't call me a bully without even checking what you had done to me, Hotaru-_chan_!" she demanded.

"Oh, yeah? Then who had bashed Alex-_san_ with pillows at the summer house and caused him to faint? Don't tell me you didn't forget," Hotaru insisted, and was instantly chased down the road by the mortified Gear.

"Just look at them, playing and chasing around like children," Millia commented and glared at Venom. She sulked when he did not pay attention to her and, instead, stared at Dizzy and Hotaru. She pounded his head with her hair mallet and prodded his neck with scalpel afterwards. "Why are you looking at them like that?"

"What _that_ you're referring to, Millia?" Venom demanded.

"Don't get me started, you lecherous pervert who likes seeing under-aged girls in _yukata_," Millia insisted and started threatening him with the scalpel.

"You mean Hotaru? But she's 18 years old, and she's going to be 19 anytime this year!" Venom answered.

Millia was ticked off by the answer and had her hair growing by large margin. "How did you know her real age? You paedophile, how dare you trying to drop me in favour of a loli!"

"I'm not a paedophile, and Hotaru's not a loli!" Venom replied, and soon both of them were engaged in their daily dose of fight.

Alex decided to ignore the married couple and the two of closest female friends and continued walking to the summer festival. "Oh, well. I better not bother them for a while," he said and approached the nearest booth. "So, Miss Takane, have you gone to any festival like this before?"

"_Haii_, and I had visited many of these events before, though each was different," she answered and checked the merchandises shown on the shelf. "What about you?"

"I wish I could remember," he spoke and pointed at a puppet on the shelf. "I just wish I could."

"Is the person important to you, Alex-_san_?" Hibiki asked, and Alex immediately turned to look at her, as if doubting the purpose of the question. "I mean, what if Dizzy-_chan_ is an important person to you?"

"What are you talking about, Miss Takane? Of course she is," he replied and aimed the cork rifle at target board, "because she has been working hard to help me. And if she weren't here, how could I rely on anyone else?"

"Oh, okay. I understand that," Hibiki answered. "But you do know that she's married, don't you?" Alex just nodded while keeping his aim on the target, not looking at her. "It's not that I disapprove this relationship, because I know Dizzy-_chan_ becomes very attached to you. I'm just worried whether you'll eventually have no other choice but to break up with her."

"That can't be happening, because we're friends," Alex answered and gave her a _kitsune_ mask he got from the booth keeper. "This is for you. I know this sounds silly, but this mask suits you."

"Why, thank you, Alex-_san_," Hibiki said and took the mask. "You don't have to do this to me; you should give it to Dizzy-_chan_ instead."

A disapproving cough caught her attention. Quickly she turned around, and she was mortified to know who was staring at her. "Trying to play no-no while I'm not around, eh Hibiki-_chan_?" sarcastically Lone Wolf NEO asked.

"Lone… Lone Wolf-_san_! What are you doing here?" Hibiki demanded, even as an embarrassed look crossed upon her face.

"What am I doing here? Escaping Mriya's hug of death, of course," the lone wolf of author's world answered before he shrugged and outstretched himself. "I happened to stumble across this festival and decided to take a look around. Luckily Mriya's already busy with her Hikki, or I'd be dead by now," he answered and deeply stared at her. "And what are you doing with Alex in such places? I did tell you to just look after him, didn't I? Are you trying to ditch me?"

The blush upon her face became redder than the ripest of tomatoes. "_Chigau_! It's not like that!" she squealed and pushed him away, before turning around and making her pouting face. "You're embarrassing me, _mou_! Why would you think of such a thing?"

Lone Wolf NEO laughed at his silliness and apologized to Hibiki. "Okay, I shouldn't tease you, but whatever," he said and glanced at Alex. "And I can see that our Mr. Hahn is enjoying himself very much tonight. How are you doing now?"

"I'm doing pretty fine, though I've been bullied by the twosome lately," Alex answered and pointed to Dizzy and Hotaru who kept running around the venue. "Do you have any business with me right now, Mister Lone Wolf?"

Lone Wolf NEO just shook his head. "No, and that's good for you. But to make sure everything's okay, I advice you not to overwork yourself," and here he patted Alex's shoulder and stared into the lone wolf's eyes. "Especially when it comes to Dizzy. I know she's wished to see you recover, so don't make her disappointed. Okay?"

Alex was staring at the author in curiosity for a long time, not knowing of what he meant. Then he nodded and patted Lone Wolf NEO's hand in return. "I will," he answered.

"Alex!" Subsequent to that, his arm was seized and he was pulled away from the booth. "You're coming with me! You promised to take me for a date, didn't you?" Alex could only wave to Lone Wolf NEO before he was dragged far away from the group while tried to apologize to Dizzy.

"Now look at that. Taking him for a date without even saying hello to me, that Dizzy," Lone Wolf NEO commented and sighed, "I wish Hibiki-_chan_ does that to me every time." Again, he was bashed and turned to Hibiki. "What was that for? It hurts, you know," he demanded and rubbed his bumped head.

"Lone Wolf-_san_ _baaka_," blatantly Hibiki replied.

x-x

"Now, now, Dizzy, you don't have to do this just because I promised to take you for a date," Alex insisted, even as she dragged him down the walkway. "And besides, I still haven't finished my talk with Mr. Lone Wolf. Can we return to them and go around this festival together with them instead?"

"Why should I?" Dizzy demanded and tightened her embrace around his arm. "A promise is a promise, and you can't do anything to deny it."

He just laughed and tried to shrug Dizzy off him. "Okay, okay, I understand that. But first, stop clinging onto me. Do you really have to do that all the time?"

Dizzy pouted at the question and stepped away from him. "Alex, you're so mean. I just want to have fun with you, and you're angry. I don't like it," she grumbled and started kicking the air.

"Am I angry with you?" he replied and slowly touched her shoulders. "Of course I'm not, because you are my friend. How can I ever be angry at someone who's a friend of mine?" What he got as a reply was a playful slap on his chest and a teasing stomp on his feet, before Dizzy ran away from him. "Hey, that hurts! Are you trying to make fun of me, Dizzy?" he asked and chased her down the road.

"I didn't, but it's really fun to bully you!" she shouted back and ran faster. "Catch me if you can, Alex! You'll have to take me to the hill if you lose!"

"Oh, yeah?" Alex replied. "Don't underestimate me just because I can't run fast!"

She kept running down the road, trying to outrun him that she did not look at her front. She stumbled across a very hard figure and dropped to the ground. "Ow, that hurts… watch where you're going!" she cried in disgrace.

"What the hell are you doing here, Dizzy?"

She was startled. The voice was too familiar to him, and the shadow too looked very familiar. Warily she looked above, and was in shock. "Sol!"

The owner of the name looked down at her for a very long time before he just shrugged and plunged the Fireseal to the ground. "Why are you looking at me in those eyes? And where the hell is Ky?" She was too shocked to answer him, and such a response was annoying to him. "Look, I don't know of what you're doing here or what brought you here to this festival, but you didn't answer my damn questions."

"Sol-_kun_!" Subsequently Kagura appeared from nowhere and hurled to him, and landed on his back so hard that he almost fell. "Here you are, Sol-_kun_! I've been looking for you everywhere," excitedly she said and gave him a very big hug on the neck.

Dizzy was too shocked at the outcome of the event that she did not know that Alex was already standing beside her. "Hey! Dizzy, are you alright?" he asked and helped her to stand up.

"I… I'm alright," she replied and held onto him. "I just bumped onto someone, that's all. But to know it's Sol of all people…"

"Sol?" Alex turned around and saw the man in front of them, trying to get off Kagura's cutely possessive squeeze. He blinked many times, and this was soon noticed by Sol.

"You? What the hell are you doing here this time, Alexander?" Sol demanded.

"Who are you? Have we met before?" Alex replied.

"Fool, it was you who beat Ky at Kiev and left me without even an explanation," Sol said and clenched a fist. "You even quoted me at that time, and you don't remember? What the hell's wrong with you?"

Quickly Dizzy stepped forward and glowered at Sol. "Why are you scolding him? He doesn't even know of who you are!" she cried.

It was his turn to glower at Dizzy; Sol was ticked off at the harsh demand she made and he had a very taut vein popping over his forehead. "What the hell? I know everything about him, and you say he doesn't remember me anymore? I thought Ky had told you anything about this lone wolf of holy orders."

This time, Dizzy was in surprise. "Do you know him? Do you really know Alex, Sol?"

"What do you expect from a badass who had slain many Gears in the past and had to deal with the knights?" Sol answered and grumbled in dismay. "To hell with that. I didn't come here to argue with anyone here," he cursed and held his headband. "This is just way too retarded."

He later heard a relieved cry and looked at Dizzy who was widely smiling. "What is it this time, Dizzy?"

"Finally I have someone who can help me!" she exclaimed and took Alex's hand. "Alex! Sol says he knows everything about you! Maybe he can help you in getting back your memory. Aren't you glad to hear it?"

Alex looked back and forth between the married Gear woman, and the Guilty Gear who was now staring at him in curiosity. "But I don't even know him, Dizzy," he said.

"Well, that doesn't matter! I can introduce him to you if you want," she suggested and turned back to Sol. "Please forgive me on his behalf, Sol. He suffers from amnesia, and I alone am not enough to help him. I was thinking whether you could help him on getting back his memory," she said.

This time, an unconvincing smile carved upon his face. Sol just laughed over his head and held his headband again. "Amnesia, huh? You're telling me that this kid just lost his memory?" he said.

"I can ask Faust to explain it to you," Dizzy said and frowned. "I thought I'd never get the chance to meet him after leaving the Devil's Living Place. And when I thought we could finally be reunited, he lost all his memories and had to…"

"Now, now, Dizzy," Alex said and put his hands upon her shoulders. "Why would you cry on this day? You don't have to; we're here to have fun, right?"

"I'm sorry, I'm a bit sentimental," Dizzy apologized and wiped off her tears. She, then, grabbed his arms and ran toward the hill. "Come on, Alex! The fireworks display's going to start soon! I don't want to miss it!"

The couple soon disappeared in the ocean of human who was too heading to the fireworks venue. Sol just stood at his place, watching at the two people in intrigue. "Am I really in a dream or what? Dizzy is so close to Alex, and doesn't even bother to know who he is… or was," he pondered. "Wait a minute; why would she want to befriend him when she's already married to Ky? There's got to be an explanation."

"_Ne_, _ne_, Sol-_kun_, should we follow them?" Kagura asked after she decided to let go off him. "And for one thing, I want to watch at the fireworks display at the hill. Should we follow them?"

Sol looked back and forth between the Souma heir in the cute pink yukata, and the couple who was seen walking up the staircases. "I think we should," he said and took the Fireseal, "I have a couple of words to speak with him while you girls go and watch the fireworks."

"Yaay! Give me a piggy-ride, Sol-_kun_!" Kagura cried in excitement and seized his neck for the second time.

Sol almost cursed this time and nosebleeded for the unknown time when he felt her soft bosom pressed against his back. "Damn Fanboy Syndrome," he groaned and wiped off the blood. "Whatever. We're going now."

"Hurray! I love you, Sol-_kun_!" she cried and tightly hugged his neck.

"…whatever…"

**To be continued…**


	17. Chapter 17: Summer Lights part 2

**Heart of the Melting Blood  
Legend of the Moonlight  
Written and conceived by:** Lone Wolf NEO

Lone Wolf NEO does not own any of all the games or anime or manga featured in this story, but he owns the copyright to all his original ideas in this fiction. The author would really appreciate it if readers do not plagiaries everything inside this story without his knowledge.

**Chronological Note:** _Heart of the Melting Blood: Legend of the Moonlight_ takes place scarcely half a year after the event in _Heart of the Melting Blood RELOADED_, and currently runs roughly in parallel with _Guilty Gear: the World within and Without_ written and created by Sheo Darren. This is _Heart of Melting Blood: Legend of the Moonlight's_ new arc, the Awe of She Arc, which takes approximately a week after events in FATE Arc, and takes place in a peaceful, seaside town away from all the chaos and disorders. This is the arc where another half of the story will be revealed, thus completing the story… hopefully.

**Chapter 17  
Summer Lights -- Natsukage (part 2)**

The Tsukihime & FATE groups were going to the venue of the summer festival just outside Misaki Town. Like their Natsugumi counterparts, they too had been looking forward to attend the event and enjoy it as much as possible. Despite the crisis that had yet to recede, they decided to put all conflicts aside and concentrate on the summer festival.

"Feeling better now, Sion?" Logan asked.

"Yes, I hope so," Sion answered and breathed out in relief. "Thanks for accompanying me that day, Logan. It was a pleasure to hear your stories."

"Why, I'm more than glad to spend time with you," he answered and hoarsely laughed, scratching his roughly shaved chin as he did. "You know what? You remind me of Alex from his younger years. He used to sit around with me and ask me to tell stories whenever we were free of duty."

"He did? So he learnt all the storytelling from you, Logan?" Sion. "I know that he likes to share stories with people, but to know that he actually learnt it from you…"

"He really liked storytelling, and he even told me that he would become a bard and travel around to entertain people with his stories," Logan said.

Sion chuckled. "He was?" and here she was promptly groped by a drunk Arcueid. Gasped and shuddered at the physical insult, she kicked Arcueid away from her. "What the hell was that for, Arcueid!"

"Nothing…! I just want to have fun with you guys…!" the True Princess answered and toppled upon her feet, while her hand was holding a bottle of _sake_. She continued mumbling in unknown languages, occasionally ramming upon random people and groping female visitors as she did. The mortified Shiki could only slap his head in embarrassment, while the rest of the group watched at Arcueid in amusement. They decided to leave Arcueid be and continued walking around the site, and was soon separated from each other when the night grew more heated. Sion tried to call for Shiki, yet he was already too far to hear her voice. Now they were stuck in the middle of a human ocean, and were trying to get out of the disorganized chaos before they were dragged along in the confusion.

Trying to get out of the chaos, Sion stumbled across someone in front of her, and she fell on her behind. "Hey! Watch it," she cried and rubbed her bum.

The person turned around, and glanced down at her. "If it isn't Miss Atlasia," she answered with a cold tone in her voice.

Lia looked up, and was horrified to know who she stumbled across. She was not saying anything for a very long time before Logan arrived and helped her to stand up, even as Lia said nothing at them. "What are you doing here, Lia? You aren't supposed to be here." Her voice was stern, and her eyes were glowering at the _miko_ in anger. Certainly, the event at the hill was unforgiving, and she could not forgive her for that.

"My presence here isn't under the order of the society, Miss Atlasia," she answered and turned to Logan who seemed to be calm at her presence. "And you, Rage, seem to have abandoned your loyalty toward your mistress. Foolish, you know you might be killed for the disloyalty."

"Don't start any argument at this hour, Lia," Logan insisted. "And being a mistress doesn't mean elders like me can't get any respect from you."

Lia lost her patience and reached for her lance when Blaze appeared from nowhere and took her hand. "We're in public area, Mistress Lia. Be careful not to frighten the people," the ninja reminded.

"Then what has brought you here, Lia?" Sion asked.

Lia took a deep breath and firmly stood. "First of all, I must apologize on behalf of the Dragoon Society for the incident. I know that I shouldn't treat my brother… no, Alexander just because of his past, but the society has decided it's necessary for us to cleanse him of any sin he may have committed."

"By torturing him? By accusing him of all wrongdoings? By forsaking him in despair? Just because he was a criminal doesn't mean he deserves this! You should know of that better than anyone else, because he's your brother!" Sion answered. "And when he thought he could meet you again and ask for your mercy, you treated him like he's nothing to you? What kind of irresponsible sister are you?"

A slap promptly perched upon Sion's cheek. Everybody at the site was startled and watched at the roadside drama in surprise. Logan and Blaze, too, were surprised by the unexpected action the shrine maiden would commit.

"How dare you!" Lia cried. "How dare you calling me irresponsible! It's you who don't want to understand! Who do you think you are? You thief, trying to take my brother away! He doesn't need anyone else to look after! I alone am enough for her!"

Sion was shocked. The insult, altogether with the slap, was way too much for her to believe. Shocked, angered, humiliated, she ran away from the site and left Logan who tried to call her back far behind. The former judge turned around, and the spear was pointed on his throat. "Lia…"

"And you, Rage, are the most foolish man I've ever met. I hate you so much." With that said Lia brought the spear down and walked away from the scene without saying anything.

Blaze approached Logan and bowed to him. "I'm sorry for Mistress Lia's attitude. She's been in mishaps since the failure of the judgment day; please give her some times to calm herself a bit."

"I know," Logan answered. "She needs someone to look after her. That, and tell her that I won't lose all faiths in her even if she will hate me until the end of time."

"You can have my words, my friend."

x-x

Sion continued her runaway through the human ocean, practically ignoring everything that was standing in her way. Her heart was broken, her pride was shattered, her ego was bruised and her emotion was torn. Never in her life would she be slapped and offended in front the public.

She kept running, and found herself arriving at the hilltop. Not knowing of how she got there, she approached the lone tree and leaned against it. Her _yukata_ had been drenched by her sombre tears, and she didn't even care of it.

"Hey, it's the _oneechan_ we saw with Alex-_niichan_ at the park!" She turned around and was surprised to see the three young girls, along with their guardian Yumiko, coming at the hill. "What are you doing here? Waiting for the fireworks show? And where's Alex-_oniichan_?"

Without realizing what she was doing, Sion flung toward Yumiko and clung onto her. Yumiko was surprised by the sudden action and did nothing to stop her from crying on her _yukata_. "What's wrong, dear?" she asked and softly patted Sion's scalp.

"Do I have to be subjected to these torments all the time?" she sobbed and buried her flushed face beneath Yumiko's arms.

"What's the matter, dear?" Yumiko asked.

"It was Alex…" Sion answered. "I thought we could be together until now, but he wasn't with me before I could tell him…"

Slowly Yumiko pulled Sion away and wiped off her tears. "Now, dear. Instead of crying on this faithful day, why don't we watch the fireworks together? I'm sure you need someone to accompany you tonight, and the person is Alex. Am I right?" she asked, even as a maternal smile carved upon her face.

"I'm sorry," Sion apologized and quickly wiped off her remaining tears. "I was being silly to cry in front of you. I'm so sorry…" She was later brought by Ayu and Akiko to the edge of the cliff, the latter two asked her to accompany them until the firework display ended.

"_Ne, ne, oneechan," _Ayu asked as the three of them took their seat. "Can you come over to our place? It's been a bit quiet since Alex-_oniichan's_ absent."

"Why would I have to go there, Ayu?" Sion asked, curious of the purpose of the request.

"Of course to play together!" Akiko answered. "Alex-_oniichan_ used to bring us to the playground to play games, and he's so generous to let us spend our time in class ourselves!"

"He is? I thought he would play tough to you girls," Sion added.

"He is, but he just wants to have fun with us," Ayu asked. "Ne, can you come over to our place? Can you?"

She smiled and put an assuring hand on Ayu's shoulder. "I'll try to, though I can't guarantee to be nice toward you girls."

"Why not? Is it because you're jealous to see us getting close to Alex-_oniichan_?" and here Akiko and Ayu ran away when Sion snapped in embarrassment. "Aw_, oneechan_ is blushing! _Oneechan_ is blushing! _Nya_!"

"Come back here!" Sion demanded and chased the two girls around.

x-x-x-x-x

Both of them were silent. Neither of them was saying anything, even as Dizzy and Kagura were watching at the night sky at the edge of the hill. The two of them were leaning against trees not far from the two girls, and just watched at them who were happily playing hopscotch, oblivious of the tension that was rising between the two men.

"So, kid," Sol spoke, finally breaking the silence, "you do have problem remembering anything, don't you?"

"I don't want to talk about it actually, but yes, I do have the problem," Alex answered. "The doctor told me that I may lose all the memories unless I strive to retrieve it back. But it's not an easy task, I must say, because it's just too hard for someone like me."

"Someone like you?" Sol spoke.

Alex just sighed. "I mean, Dizzy willingly offers herself to help me, and I don't even understand why she's so persistent. When I asked her why she would bother herself to do so, she just said _"it's because you're my friend and I must help you because of that."_" He later laughed in low voice and looked up to the night sky. "Don't you think it's silly for someone who I never meet in my life to suddenly come to me and offer me her help?"

"More like amazing to me," Sol answered. "Sort of." He took a piece of Marlboro and lightly touched its tip on the Fireseal. He started smoking and watched at the two girls, while occasionally glancing at Alex who was playing the harmonica. "Nice stuff, kid. Did you buy it?"

"Yeah, at the booth down there," Alex replied and played several songs with the instrument. He stopped playing the harmonica and handed it over to Sol. "Why don't you try, Mister Badguy?"

Sol just laughed at the offer. "Do you think I'd damn myself trying that stuff?" he asked. He noticed that Alex's eyes were persistent, despite its cool look, and shook his head in amazement. "For a former knight who can't remember anything from his past, you surely are persistent. Whatever." He took the harmonica and, with the Marlboro held between his fingers, played it. So concentrated he was that he did not notice Alex watching at him.

"You've got talent, Mister Badguy," Alex praised.

"Just call me Sol, kid." Sol put down the harmonica and chuckled, albeit it was barely heard. "It was nothing. I used to play this whenever I have time," he answered. "Listen, kid, I know this may not make you happy, but don't get too close to Dizzy."

Alex blinked many times at the advice. "Why not? We're friends, of course."

"I don't care of whether you're friends or not, but sooner or later," Sol answered and folded his arms, "you'll have to let Dizzy go. It's not for me, but for both of your sake." He later heard the sound of a punched wood; he glanced at Alex and noticed that he was glowering at him. "What do you think you're doing, Alex?"

"You want me to leave her? Dizzy? Of all suggestions, you'd expect me to do that!" Alex demanded. "What do you know about us!"

"A lot," Sol simply answered. "Way too lot, especially the time we fought at the Devil's Living Place. You were there, and like what you have said today, refused to leave her. You lost to me on that time, kid. Not once, but twice."

Shocked by the answer, Alex tried to deny it. "I didn't remember anything about fighting you, nor leaving Dizzy! What are you trying to tell me, Sol!"

Sol flicked the Marlboro off his fingers, took a deep breath, and gave out a very long sigh. "Do you have any idea that Dizzy's a Gear that you were taught to detest and hate for the rest of the life as an enemy?" He swallowed his pride when he said it, and he knew it was an irony for someone who was a Gear to call his own kind an enemy.

"But she's not!" he heard Alex refusing it. "How can a friend be an enemy? How can a woman as gentle as her be someone I wanted to kill? How can she?" He later pointed to Dizzy who continued playing hopscotch with Kagura, not knowing what was going on right now. "Look at her! Does she look like an evil to you? Does she?"

"You're just like a lone wolf, kid. Expelled by its pack, found a new family but lost it when it thought they could live forever to the hand of the hunters, lived in isolation before it found something it could protect, and had to let go of it again," Sol spoke an anonymous quote. "Always want to defend something precious until the end of time, even when you know it's a futile effort. Always want to protect someone you care so much, even when you know you're not supposed to do that."

"Why are you telling me this, Sol?" Alex glowered. "And for what?"

"Look, kid," Sol continued his rant. "I know you don't want to leave Dizzy whatever the hell happens to both of you, but should something happen to her in the future, are you going to be responsible?"

"Hell yes I will, even if sacrificing my life is the last thing I will do!" Alex answered. Immediately fireworks exploded in the night sky, as if supporting the statement he made. "And if you think you're going to make her cry, then you must step over my dead body first!"

Sol stared at the lone wolf for a very long time, unaware of Kagura and Dizzy who were calling them at their place. Then he sarcastically grinned. "Fine. If that's your point, I'll just look at both of you from faraway. Should something happen to her, even if it's just a speck of dust on her hair, I'm going to find you first," and here he seized the hilt of Fireseal as if emphasizing his statement.

Alex, too, grinned even though it was not convincing. "If that happens, I won't hold anything back against you, Sol," he said and cracked his fingers.

The firework display continued for several minutes, as the two warriors were staring at each other without a word being said. Then they laughed and shrugged. "What the hell? I don't want to have anything with this argument," Sol grumbled. "Damn, I'm supposed to accompany Kagura to this festival, not sparking tension with you."

Alex laughed as well and put a palm on his forehead. "Yeah, I almost forgot about that." Subsequently he was dragged by a frustrated Dizzy and was brought away from Sol. "Hey! I must finish my words with him first, Dizzy! Can't you give me a minute more, please?"

"Sol can wait! The fireworks display's started and you're still standing here like a silly," Dizzy said. "Come on! It's going to be fun if we watch it together!"

Sol almost say a word to call Dizzy, yet she was too busy talking this and that with Alex to listen to his rant. He watched at the married Gear in amazement before shrugged. "You're so happy to be with him, huh?" he pondered and stooped his head. "You don't have any idea of what happened to him in the past, Dizzy. You just don't know anything about him."

"Sol-_kun_!" Sol lifted his head and saw Kagura standing in front of him. "You said you want to watch the fireworks with me, right? So come on!" she insisted and took his hand. "It's going to be fun if we watch the fireworks with them!"

"Yeah, yeah, I heard that," lazily he replied and grumbled in amazement at the soft touch of the little hand on his rough palm. "Damn, why do I have to be a paedophile?"

"Because a paedophile like you is destined to be paired up with Kagura!" he heard Lone Wolf NEO answering the question, and almost tossed a Gun Flame at the direction. The author, who was walking up the stoned ladder with Hibiki and Hotaru, almost freaked out at the response before he laughed. "Come on, Sol! It was just a joke."

"You can call me anything but paedophile," Sol warned and flipped his middle finger. "(Censored) you, Lone Wolf."

Hibiki coughed at the response and made a 'no-no' signal, while Hotaru mimicked the gesture before she left to catch up with Dizzy. "Profanity isn't good for your mental health, Sol-_san,_" she reminded. She later giggled when Sol grumbled in defeat at the impromptu advice. "You should remember that you have Kagura-_chan_ tagging you. So please watch over your words, _ne_?"

"Bah!" Sol cried out.

"And as for you, Lone Wolf-_san_," she said and glanced at the author. "Are you sure you have to go now? You can stay and watch the fireworks with us until it finishes."

"You know what, Hibiki? I'd die to have a date with you tonight, especially since you're wearing this cute _yukata_," Lone Wolf NEO said and winked at her, and here she blushed at the gesture. "But I have something to do back at my… working place. So," and he brought his palms close and bowed to her, _"gomennasai!"_

This time, it was Sol's turn to tease Lone Wolf NEO. "Hah, look at that. Even the lone wolf of author's world is afraid of woman," he said.

"At least he knows what he's doing," Hibiki added. She looked back at Lone Wolf NEO who was repeatedly apologizing at her, and she could only sigh. "Very well, you can go. _Mou_, when I thought I could spend the night with you…"

Lone Wolf just laughed silly. "_Gomennasai_, but we do have next year, right?"

"It can't be helped." She approached him, bent forward, and placed a light kiss upon his cheek. "You better go now before I change my mind, you big bad wolf," she whispered to his ear.

"Wow, that was a surprise," he said and rubbed his kissed cheek. "Okay, then I'll take my leave. Later, Hibiki!"

Lone Wolf NEO ran down the ladder, waving to the people before he disappeared from sight. Hibiki waved at her good person and smiled at his reaction to the kiss when she heard a silly laugh from the behind. She turned around and saw Dizzy and Hotaru staring at her in mischief, with a teasing grin carved upon their face. "Dizzy-_chan_! Hotaru-_chan_! Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Aw, how sweet of Hibiki-_chan_, giving her fiancée a farewell kiss. I'm so jealous," Hotaru said and made her cutely pouting face.

"You know, Hotaru-_chan_, jealousy is the sign of love," Dizzy added and giggled.

"I know, and Lone Wolf-_san's_ girlfriend happens to be the most possessive among us," Hotaru answered.

It was Hibiki's turn to be mortified. "Why are you teasing me!" she cried and started chasing Dizzy and Hotaru around the hilltop.

"Because you and Lone Wolf are lovey-dovey!" both the married women answered.

x-x-x-x-x

The American city of South Town too was holding its own edition of summer festival. Partially sponsored by the Howard dynasty, the festival was to become a proving ground for fighters and warriors to legally test their fighting skills and wrestle among each other, while the residents of the city seized the opportunity to gather around and interact with each other. No longer they have to hide in fear and seclusion after Geese succeeded in reclaiming his rank as a crime lord after a battle with Kain R. Heinlein, the latter happened to be his relative. Despite conflicts between the Most Powerful Man in the World with local authorities after reclaiming his spot, everybody agreed that the return of Geese to South Town was a blessing in disguise.

(Side comment: Geese/Kain duel will be featured in _Heart of Melting Blood_, if Lone Wolf and his buddies can come up with a plot device to support this event.)

And tonight, not only was Geese present at the summer festival, he was accompanied by his two children Misaki and Rock and the Scandalous One Ky, the latter constantly preaching to people he met on the sins of _shoujo-ai_ coupling and how disgraced he was to see women getting paired up. When he was approached by those who were strongly against his opinion, his answer was as simple and as usual: "their sin is beyond the grace of God. They shall be sent to damnation in the name of justice."

(At another summer festival not far from Athens, Justine sneezed. "Hey, who dares talking behind my back?" she demanded.)

"Why would they be sinned and sent to damnation?" Rock said and sighed in wonder. "Being paired up doesn't mean they'd instantly become _shoujo-ai_ couple. It's the people who always come up with such a conclusion."

"Oh, yeah?" Ky replied and prodded Rock's forehead hard. "Then what about Dizzy and Hotaru? What about our wives? Listen, son of Geese Howard, I cannot tolerate people who thinks _shoujo-ai_ couplings are cool or cute or whatsoever. I still despise them because their idea is against the teachings."

Rock laughed. "You must know that Dizzy and Hotaru are destined to be together, because that's what the plot device wants. And the same goes to Justine and Athena, though Justine's now got her lovey-dovey."

"Blasphemy!" Ky screamed in disgrace and chased Rock down the road. "You shall be punished in the name of justice! Your sin is beyond the grace of God!"

(Again, Justine sneezed. "Aw, I don't like this," she mumbled.)

"How many times has Ky-_san_ said that?" Misaki sighed. "Should we interfere, father?"

Geese watched at Rock who was tossing Ky across the road with his own version of _Atemi Nage_. "Nah, just let them be. Rock can handle him anytime he wants to."

"Oh, okay."

The father and daughter left the blonde duo behind and continued their walk around the site, greeting with people and visitors as they did. Some of them, especially the fighters of _Fatal Fury _league, seized the opportunity to greet Geese without the fear of being frowned upon by the crime lord. Indeed, they didn't have to; Geese had changed a lot since Misaki was adopted as his daughter (side comment: please refer to _The Wedding Night 2_) from a heartless man to a responsible figure. After all, he's a father.

"Misaki-_san_?"

Misaki turned around in response to the call, and was surprised to see who was calling her. "Mai-_san_?"

The owner of the name, at that time wearing scarlet red kimono, blinked in surprise as well. "What are you doing here?" Mai asked.

"And what are you doing here too?" Misaki repeated the question.

Standing beside Mai was an equally surprised Hikki. Wearing his usual red T-shirt and khaki trousers, he stared at Misaki and Geese for a very long time before he turned to Mai. "Hey, Mai, who are they? Do you know them?" he asked.

"And who's the guy beside you, Mai?" Misaki asked.

Mai giggled and bowed to the father and daughter in respect. "I'm sorry for surprising both of you. This is my husband Hikki," and here Hikki waved at them. "Hikki, this is my friend Kawane Misaki, and that's her father Geese Howard," she told him.

Misaki cooed in surprise. "You're married? Why didn't you tell me before?"

"You didn't receive our invitation letter?" Mai asked.

Misaki just shook her shoulders. "Not if I can remember it," she told her. "And to see both of you visiting South Town of all places, what has brought you here anyway?"

"Actually, Ms. Kawane, Mr. Howard, we just want to walk around since we don't have anything else to do at home right now," Hikki spoke before a pair of lithe arms seized his neck, and here he was pulled into a voluptuous, if not bouncy, embrace. "Aw, will you leave me for a while, _neesan_?"

"_Yada_!" Mriya cried and tightly hugged her living teddy bear. "Bad Hikki. Going to summer festival without _oneesan's_ permission. You must be punished for this!" she squealed and rubbed her cheek against his.

Mai coughed and turned her attention to Misaki, ignoring Hikki who was crying for help. "Please forgive Hikki, Misaki-_san_. Mriya-_san_ has been chasing Hikki around since our wedding day, and she doesn't mind playing with her little brother."

"Mai-_chan_, you're so cold," and here Mai glared at him in disgust. "Aw, why can't I call you with that suffix?"

"Falken!" Hikki, Mai and Mriya turned to the voice, and saw the Scandalous One stomping his way toward them. Apparently Ky survived Rock's _Atemi Nage_ and Deadly Rave-NEO, and he was now glowering at them in disgrace. "I highly object your sibling love! It's against the teachings!"

Mriya pouted at the statement and seized Hikki's neck, pulling him toward her chest. "Why can't I love Chrono, Ky-_chan_?" cutely she asked while tightly hugged his neck.

"Because it's INCEST and don't call me with that SUFFIX!" Ky demanded.

Both Misaki and Geese gasped in surprise. "So Ms. Mriya is Mr. Hikki's older sister, huh?" Geese asked.

Mriya turned to him and smiled. "Yes, I am! And I love Hikki so much I can't live without him!" she declared and tightened her arms around him.

This time, a rather convincing smile appeared upon his face. "You must be so attached to him, don't you?" Geese added, and here Mriya just nodded to answer 'yes'.

"Falken! You aren't even listening!" Ky screamed.

"Who wants to listen to the likes of you?" Mriya replied and stuck out her tongue at Ky. "PIIDAH!"

"_Neesan_, I think we should stop bullying Mr. Kiske," Hikki said and was tightly squeezed, like a plush doll of Mriya's much-loved. "_Neesan_, please stop it! You're choking me."

"_Yada_! How can I ever let you go?" Mriya insisted and continued to ogle him.

"And you, Mr. Hikki," and here Ky pointed the Thunderseal at his face. "Where has your responsibility as a married man gone to? You should've known the consequences of those who commit incestual adultery."

"Do you think we've done _that_ yet?" Hikki asked before the embarrassed Mai bopped him on the head with the _tessen_ she produced from the air, much in the same way Hibiki did to Lone Wolf NEO. "Ow, you hit me. That hurts, Mai-_chan_."

"Stop calling me with that suffix, _baaka_!" Mai cried in disgrace.

Mriya continued ogling and rubbing her cheeks against Hikki, and Misaki and Geese were watching at the sibling couple in amazement, and the Scandalous One became even more scandalized and annoyed. "That's it! I shall punish each and every one of you tonight! Your sin is beyond the grace of God!" Ky lifted his Thunderseal and pounced at the siblings in his Ride The Lightning. "PREPARE FOR THE JUDGMENT!"

"Useless." Quoting her father, Misaki grabbed the blade of the sword, spun her arms and kicked Ky a good half mile away from the festival. Not bathing an eyebrow nor breaking a sweat, she corrected her _yukata_ and swayed her hair. "To quote my father for the third time this week: _predictable_."

"Wow, Misaki-_chin_ is surely a strong girl," Mriya cooed in amazement.

Misaki just giggled and bowed to Mriya respectfully. "Why, thank you, Falken-_san_. I'm honoured to receive such compliments."

"Don't forget the old man who's been teaching her," Geese added and laughed.

"Oh, father," Misaki replied and playfully _Jaei Ken'd_ Geese. "Please stop teasing me."

Meanwhile, Ky could be heard screaming "Oh no! I'm falling!" as he descended head first toward a small pond near a bridge in the middle of the site (Hey, doesn't the bridge look familiar?). Poor him; as soon as fell into the pond, the Thunderseal electrocuted him and all fishes inside the pond.

Then along came the Guilty Gear announcer (who had been absent from all the silliness that is fan fiction for a very long time) and approached the pond. "DESTROYED!" he announced and left.

"Lesson for tonight," Rock said as he approached the venue and watched at the fainted Ky. "Thunderseal isn't waterproof."


	18. Chapter 18: About Us

**Heart of the Melting Blood  
Legend of the Moonlight  
Written and conceived by:** Lone Wolf NEO

Lone Wolf NEO does not own any of all the games or anime or manga featured in this story, but he owns the copyright to all his original ideas in this fiction. The author would really appreciate it if readers do not plagiaries everything inside this story without his knowledge.

**Chronological Note:** _Heart of the Melting Blood: Legend of the Moonlight_ takes place scarcely half a year after the event in _Heart of the Melting Blood RELOADED_, and currently runs roughly in parallel with _Guilty Gear: the World within and Without_ written and created by Sheo Darren. This is _Heart of Melting Blood: Legend of the Moonlight's_ new arc, the Awe of She Arc, which takes approximately a week after events in FATE Arc, and takes place in a peaceful, seaside town away from all the chaos and disorders. This is the arc where another half of the story will be revealed, thus completing the story… hopefully.

**Chapter 18  
About Us**

Sol was sitting on the bench outside the hotel room, gazing at the night sky while enjoying his usual sip of Marlboro-branded cigarette. Kagura was soundly sleeping inside the room, tired and exhausted after enjoying her time at the festival with Sol to its fullest extent. Sol cared less of the young girl, or anyone else who would be there, even as he was busy listening to the songs of _Queen_ on his Discman and silently hummed the rhythm of _Bohemian Rhapsody_.

He stopped singing. Alex's angered and shocked face when he was advised to leave Dizzy still lingered inside his head. He sighed when he thought of the lone wolf's persistence to stay by the Gear's side whatever reason it would be, and he wondered of why Alex took his advice for granted. Not only he was worried of what would happen to Dizzy if she was forcibly abandoned, he was concerned of Ky's reaction if he were to see her getting close to his supposedly detested enemy.

x-x

"_We'd like it if you and Kagura could come over to our summer house tomorrow. We're going to have our final BBQ before returning to our town, and it will be more fun if both of you are present."_

"_Why the hell do you want me to visit you, Dizzy? I can consider it if it's just a BBQ, but if it's Alex you're talking of, then I'm sorry. I can't go."_

"_Please, Sol. You promised to help him, right? You and Alex are quite friendly fellows back there, and I don't see anything wrong if you visit us. Do you have any problems with him?"_

"_Actually I don't, but what if he doesn't like seeing me?"_

"_Sol, please. He won't mind it if it's you. Will you come and join us for the BBQ?"_

"_Alright, alright. I'll try asking Kagura. If she wants to come, then I'll just follow her."_

"_Thank you so much, Sol."_

x-x

Sol just sighed. Dizzy is surely a determined woman, he thought. He could only wonder whether there was any true reason behind the friendship bonded between her and Alex. "Maybe I'll have to talk with Lone Wolf regarding this matter… if he ever has something to talk about Alex," he pondered and changed the CD. This time, it was _The Darkness_, and he was now listening to the funky beat of _I Believe In The Thing Called Love_.

"You're still staying up?" He turned around and saw the sleepy Kagura walking toward him. He said nothing and continued listening to the CD, even as the girl took a seat next to him and rested her head upon his firmly built arm. Somehow, Sol didn't even attempt to resist it; he simply had no mood for such an argument.

"_Ne_, Sol-_kun_," Kagura spoke, after a very long time of silence.

Sol lowered the headphones and stared at her. "What is it this time, Kagura?"

"I just want to know something," Kagura said. "Did you have any grudge against Alexander-_san_? I saw you and him arguing during the firework display. Is there something the matter?"

He did not answer. That was another matter; the problem is should he answer? The thought of Alex protesting his suggestion to stay away from Dizzy and vowing himself to protect the Gear even he had to sacrifice his life, was all but annoying. And the thought of Dizzy getting too close in the way that he foresaw the relationship as more than mere friends was also disturbing, if not amusing.

"Sol-_kun_?" His bubblehead moment popped off, and he looked back at Kagura. "What's wrong? Why aren't you answering?"

"Sorry, Kagura," he told her and sighed. "I just have no mood to talk of anything."

"Oh, okay."

Kagura corrected the position of her head on his arm, and fell asleep. This startled Sol and he turned to see her sleeping face. "Oh, boy. You do like to be accompanied even in sleep, don't you?" he pondered and teasingly poked her cheek. She stirred at the playful poke, and he silently laughed at the reaction. He turned around, leaned against the hard steel frame of the bench and stared at the night sky, donning the headphones for the second time to continue enjoying the songs of The Darkness. And this time, he decided to let all thoughts drift away as his ears were already focused to the slow-paced song of _Love Is Only a Feeling_.

x-x-x-x-x

"Good morning, sir."

Slowly he opened his eyes. Stirred by the heat of the sunshine, he narrowed his eyelids when he looked up, and saw the two ruby eyes staring down at him.

"Good morning, Dizzy," lazily he replied and rubbed his eyes. "What are you doing in this early morning?"

The owner of the name giggled and gently rubbed his cheeks. "You silly. It's afternoon already, but I just want to say morning to you because I thought it'd be comfortable if I do so," she said.

Bedazzled, Alex tried to wake up when he found that his head was rested upon her lap. "Oh, great. You know that Testament would get mad if he saw me like this, don't you?" he uttered.

"Why would he?" she replied and continued rubbing his cheek. "He wouldn't be mad at you, I promise you."

"Oh, alright then. I guess there shouldn't be any reasons to be afraid of him," Alex said and got up from his back. He looked around the Devil's Living Place and noticed that the critters were all looking at them. "Why are they looking at us, Dizzy?" he asked and pointed at one of the creatures.

Dizzy just giggled and called one of the sparrow to perch upon her shoulder. "Don't be afraid of them, sir. They just want to be friendly toward you," she said and patted the bird's head.

"Oh, okay."

Alex just watched at her for a very long time, even as she 'talked' with the bird and giggled along. She noticed that she was being watched and giggled at his sheer curiosity. "What's wrong, sir? Do you never see someone doing this before?" she asked.

"No, Dizzy, but," and here he just grimly smiled. "You remind me of someone from a long time."

Dizzy's eyes shone very brightly when she heard the answer. "I do? Oh, will you tell me who the person is? I'd like to know," she uttered.

Along came Testament's disapproving cough, as the humanoid Gear walked toward them from his resting place under the tree. "Alexander, we need to talk," he spoke and lowered his scythe. "And as for you, Dizzy, spare us a bit of time and play somewhere else. It won't be long."

"Alright, Testament." With that said Dizzy bowed to Alex and moved to an area not far from the altar, humming a song as she did. "Don't talk with him too long, okay? I want to learn origami from him after this!" she called from faraway.

"Don't worry about us, okay?" Alex shouted back and turned his attention to Testament. "So, what business do you want to talk with me?"

"I remember my commander mentioning someone's name not a very long time ago," Testament said and took a seat on the bark. "And whenever I see you talking with Dizzy like nothing, you remind me of her very much."

"You sound awfully like you're jealous at us," Alex suggested, and here Testament glared at him with a murderous sight. "Okay, I better pull back my word. Then what does it have to do with me?"

"She had once said to me before her final battle with… someone," Testament said and coughed at the word 'someone', "that she had wished to meet this person again, because she had an unfinished business with him."

"If I may ask," Alex interrupted, "who is this person your commander was talking of? And who was this commander of yours?"

Testament took a very deep breath and stared at him. "She was talking about you, Alexander, and her name…" and here he frowned and tightly held the hilt of the scythe, "was Justice."

x-x

Alex woke up. It was the second time he had the weird dream, and he felt as if it wanted to haunt him for the rest of his life. Violently he shoved his hand through his head and fell back onto the bed, trying to think of the rationale behind the dream. "And who is this Justice…?" he whispered and rested an arm over his forehead. "Why do I have this feeling… that I've met this person before?"

Again, he closed his eyes yet it was not long before he felt his head being rested upon a lap. He opened his eyes, looked up and could only smile to see who was greeting him. "Good morning, Dizzy," he spoke and lazily yawned. "You know you don't have to do this every time, do you?"

"Why not?" she replied and placed a soft kiss upon his forehead. "Wake up, lazy boy. It's morning already."

"One thing before I wake up," he said and reached for her face, in which she took it and gently nuzzled her cheek against it. "Why are you being nice toward me, like, all the time?"

Dizzy just giggled and continued nuzzling it, feeling the rough texture of the palm against her soft skin. "Because you're my friend, and I should be nice toward my friend. And you know what? There's something you should know about me."

"Hmm? What is it?" he asked.

"It's about our past," Dizzy answered and tightly held his hand. "I know you still can't remember anything about it, but you must know something about it. And if you do…" And here she became silent and closed her eyes, as if there was something coming up in her mind. "I'd be more than happy," she half-whispered.

"What's wrong? What's the matter, Dizzy?" Alex asked and softly caressed her cheek.

Just then, the door was abruptly opened. Both of them looked at the door, and saw the mischievous faces of Hotaru, Millia and Hibiki who were teasingly laughing at their 'privacy'. Realizing that they had been eavesdropped, Alex and Dizzy quickly moved away and sat very far, not looking at each other.

"Aw, what's wrong with both of you?" Hotaru asked, even as a pair of fox ears popped on her head. "Come on! Continue your lovey-dovey scene, _ne_?"

"That was a surprise, you know," Millia added, "to see Dizzy waking Alex up in the most affectionate way she could think of."

"Indeed," Hibiki said. "And Dizzy-_chan_ looks so lovely when she does the lonely face. Now do any of us know the song '_Lonely'_? I think it suits Dizzy-_chan_ very much right now."

"Why are you always bothering us!" Dizzy cried out in embarrassment and chased the three of them out of the room, leaving Alex in bewilderment. He could hear the girls shouting "because what you're doing just now is a no-no!" at her and Dizzy's disgraced reply at them. He just laughed at their unique friendship before fell back onto the bed, staring at the hand Dizzy was holding on. The unusual yet friendly warmth from the touch was still lingering, and he could feel it seeping through his skin, flowing through his vein and entering his heart, making it go wild.

He suddenly winced. A quick flashback of a certain event invaded his mind, and he trembled when he felt his head aching. A low-voiced groan came out of his mouth, and the pain was so building up that he slammed his fist upon the bedside table. "For everyone's sake, get out of my mind right now!" he screamed and slammed another fist on the table, utterly destroying it.

"Alex!" He turned around and saw Dizzy running back into the room. She immediately approached him and took his trembling hand. "What happened to you? We heard you screaming a while ago, and we rushed here immediately after that. What happened?"

"Goddammit…!" he growled. "What in the world had invaded my mind…?"

"Alex, what's the matter?" she asked and tightly held his hand. "Please, tell me what's going on."

His breath was hoarse. His eyes were wildly blinking, while sweats were seen coming down his cheeks and dripping off his chin. He was not looking at Dizzy, Hotaru or Hibiki as he was trying to get rid of the sudden pain.

He calmed down. "I need to talk with him…" he spoke in low voice and turned to Dizzy. "You still remember the paper bag doctor? Can you ask him to come over?"

x-x

Faust was deeply dedicated. Dizzy was in anxiety. Hotaru was worried. Hibiki remained calm. Millia and Venom looked at the doctor, who was busy checking Alex's eyesight, even as several of his mini-me were carrying his medical case around. Alex was not moving on the sofa as to let Faust examine himself, even as he let Dizzy holding his hand.

"I believe I have found the reason behind the sudden pain Mister Hahn endured," Faust spoke as he finished his examination.

"What is it, Doctor Faust?" Dizzy quickly asked. "Please tell us what it us."

Faust scratched his head and looked back at Alex, who was patiently waiting for the answer. "There are good news and bad news. Whichever news you want to hear, that I will explain."

"The good news, please," Dizzy begged and tightly held Alex's hand. "We'd like to hear the good news first, doctor."

The 9-feet-odd doctor nodded. "The good news is Mister Hahn is showing some sign of memory recovery."

Dizzy smiled very wide to hear the answer and turned to Alex. "Do you hear it, Alex? He said your memory is recovering. Oh, how good it is to know that," she spoke in relief.

"But the bad news is," and here Dizzy turned her attention to Faust, who seemed reluctant to give out the answer. "Mister Hahn will be pained every time his memory shows up." And this time Dizzy was so shocked that she almost protested Faust, yet Alex was quicker in asking her to calm down.

"What do you mean by 'will be pained', Faust-_sensei_?" Hibiki asked. "Isn't it good if Alexander-_san_ has his memory recovered?"

"Most of my patients who have problem recalling their memories aren't affected by side-effects once their memories return," Faust explained. "For some, however, having their memories returned means that they will have to endure prolonged side-effects. These include unexpected breakdown, loss of appetite, and frequent nightmares. In some cases, patients are unable to apprehend with the surrounding environment, believing that they are being locked in solitude. This, if not solved quickly, can cost their life."

"No," Dizzy murmured and frowned. "I don't want this to happen to Alex… I don't want this to happen to him after he gets his memories back…" Alex said nothing and just held onto her hand, pleading her to accept the news.

"However," Faust said and made his usual 'peace' sign. "If any of you is willing to help him getting through the side-effects, Mister Hahn will be able to continue his life as the rest of us do. He needs someone to help him as a friend, and I'm sure he already has one by now."

"I'll do anything to help him," Dizzy uttered and tried to smile. "If it means to exchange my life, I'll do anything, as long as Alex recovers his memories and remembers our promise."

"Well, then, I'll take my leave now. Should anything happen to Mister Hahn or any of you need my help, don't hesitate to do so. I'll be honoured to help you as a doctor." Faust took his leave and departed from the summer house, and as usual shouted "VIVA WATASNE!" while flying with his umbrella. The summer group said nothing while watching at Faust and Venom started commenting on the rationale behind the 'regain with pain' explanation Faust had said earlier.

"_Anou_, I think I'll prepare the meals for the BBQ," Hotaru said and quickly walked to the kitchen.

"Then let me help you, Hotaru-_chan_," Hibiki suggested.

"I'm going out," Venom said before he was poked by an unsatisfied Millia. "What? I just want to take some fresh air. What's wrong with you?"

"Where do you think you're going?" Millia demanded. "Don't tell me you want to peek over under-aged girls, like what you did during the festival. You paedophile."

An embarrassed blush appeared upon his face. "That's not my intention! And stop accusing me, Millia!" he screamed and ran away from his angry wife, now armed to teeth with Angra.

All but Alex and Dizzy were no longer inside the living room. Now the two people were left alone, oblivious of anything happening around them. They were not saying anything even when they tried to open their mouth, although they did hold their hands.

"So," Alex finally broke off the silence and eased off the taut clench. "The doctor said that… I'm going to have a side-effect." He tried to chuckle, and he failed miserably. "Is this what I have to face if I were to have my memory back?"

"No! I will not allow that to happen!" Dizzy insisted. "I don't want to see you getting hurt, and I don't want any of those to hurt you!"

"But Dizzy, I…" And here he was promptly silenced. Dizzy was now staring at him, and her ruby eyes were now shining brightly. He tried to say anything, yet those eyes were as persistent as they usually were. Alex could only sigh and put an assuring hand over hers. "Don't worry about me too much. It's just temporary; it won't hurt me that much."

"Are you sure you're going to be alright?" Dizzy asked.

"Of course I will," he answered. "Because nobody's going to harm me."

Dizzy immediately flung toward him and wrapped her arms about his neck. "Oh, I'm so glad to hear that," she said as she tightened the embrace. "I'm so happy now, Alex."

For a while, Alex was astounded by the unexpected hug the Gear/human hybrid gave him. Then he smiled and hugged her in return, proceeding to cuddle Dizzy as close as he could.

"_Lonely, I'm Mr. Lonely; I have nobody, all on my own, oh!  
I'm so lonely, I'm Mr. Lonely; I have nobody, all on my own, oh!  
I'm so lonely…"_

The couple was startled when the cue of "Lonely" echoed. Dizzy, especially, realized that they were being under the cautious eyes of Hotaru, Hibiki and Millia, as well as the equally surprised Venom and immediately pulled herself away from Alex. "What was that for!" she demanded and glowered at the girls.

"Aw, that was so cute," Hotaru commented. "Being relaxed in Alex-_san's_ arms; I wonder how it feels to be cuddled like that."

"If this weren't for Lone Wolf NEO, I'd have freaked out right now," Millia added.

"Why not? Lone Wolf-_san_ knows about them the best," Hibiki answered and giggled. "But Hotaru-_chan_ is right. Dizzy-_chan_ was very cute in Alex-_san's_ arms. She looks so lonely, but so happy."

"I suggest you three to stop teasing them, it's not good," Venom suggested, and here Hotaru, Hibiki and Millia glared at him in disgust. "What the hell! I was only suggesting!"

"Your suggestion is promptly ignored," Millia blatantly answered. "So shut the hell up and go somewhere else."

"Yeah!" Hotaru added. "You don't know the joy Dizzy-_chan_ and the three of us always have!"

"You know, Venom-_san_," Hibiki spoke and made a 'no-no' hand gesture. "Getting involved in woman's affair will only ask for trouble, especially when it involves people like us."

This time, Dizzy had it enough. "That's it! I'm going to teach each and everyone of you right now!" and here Dizzy made defence to Ky's infamous quote of justice. "Your sin is beyond the grace of God!" She, then, chased the three girls out of the summer house, taking the disgraced Venom along. Alex watched at the group in bafflement before he shrugged and slowly leaned against the sofa. Silent as he was, he decided to let all troubles go away and went outside.

"What the hell is that noise?" Along came Sol's voice, as Alex headed to the hillside post. He turned around and saw Sol and Kagura walking toward the summer house, with the latter pointing at the disgraced Dizzy.

"How surprising to see you again here, Sol," Alex greeted.

"Yeah, about damn time I come over," Sol replied after letting Kagura go to join the chase. "So when will the BBQ start?"

"Oh, the one Dizzy suggested last night?" Alex replied and looked at the group who later chased the married Gear around the house. "She said it'll be held sometimes this evening, but I don't know why they don't do any preparations at this time."

Sol was about to say a word when he heard Dizzy's version of the quote of justice. "God? I don't want to have anything with it," he replied and grumbled. "Even Dizzy quoted Ky? I don't think he's going to like it. So," he said and shrugged. "Feeling any better?"

Alex turned around and gazed at the afternoon sky. "Yeah, somehow," he replied. "Though… my mind was a bit messed up."

"Hah, don't tell me it was Dizzy," Sol suggested.

"I'd have to, but it isn't about her." Alex later sighed and ran a hand across his hair, before putting it over the cross scar. "Faust came over a while ago, and he told us that I may start having my memory back."

"Okay, that was good," Sol said. "But what's wrong with you? You should be happy to hear that, shouldn't you?"

"Perhaps I should, but then," Alex spoke and sighed. "I may suffer from side-effects. I don't know what kind of the side-effects are, but it has to do with my memory."

"So the point is?"

"The point is, Sol, will it do any good if I get nothing but pain in return of having my memory back? And what's the point of getting it back when it keeps reminding me of someone?"

"Don't tell me it's Dizzy."

"How should I know it's Dizzy when the person was… not even her in the first place?"

"What do you mean?"

"Sol," and here Alex clenched a fist. "I had a dream a while ago. It was of her and someone named Testament. And this Testament told me in the dream, that I reminded him of his leader. Even now, I keep asking myself why I feel so familiar with the name, as if we had met before."

Sol seemed surprised, but he did not show it. "Just who are you talking about?"

"If I can ask you," Alex spoke and eased the fist. "Who is this Justice?"

x-x-x-x-x

Her steps halted. The red-haired Justine Harrier, who was wearing her usual turtleneck tank top with Levi's jeans, looked over her shoulder and gazed at the afternoon sky. Her best of friends Asamiya Athena and her newfound lover Rheo Farren were looking at her, not bothering the citizens of Athens who were occupied with their daily routines.

"What is it, 'Tine?" Athena asked.

"I don't know, 'Thena," she answered. "But I thought I heard someone calling my name."

"Oh, don't be such a silly, 'Tine," Athena replied and seized Justine's hand. "Come on! The theatre's going to start at any moment. You don't want to miss it, do you?"

"But Athena, I…"

Athena pouted at the reluctant answer and glanced to Rheo. "Rheo-_san_, do something about this Justine-_chan_, will you?" The suggestion made Justine blush in embarrassment and she quickly shrugged herself off Athena. "Aw, what's the matter with you, huh? You aren't usually like this."

"I'm alright, and don't try to make fun of our relationship, okay?" Justine demanded and seized Rheo's neck as to emphasize her words. "Do that again, and I'm going to PWN you like what happened during the assault."

"Hey, who are you to threaten me?" Athena replied in disgrace, despite her smiling face.

"Because I'm Justine, so fear me," Justine declared and stuck out her tongue at Athena. "PIIDAH!"

x-x-x-x-x

Sol grimaced. The name was far too familiar to him, and hearing it being spoken by the lone wolf of holy orders for the first time was far from pleasing. That name was not supposed to be said anymore; after all the events in his previous years, from the final judgment against the archetype Gear in _Guilty Gear_ to the craziness and randomness of _The Wedding Night 2_ and previous instalments of _Heart of Melting Blood_ ("I'm so gonna kill both of you, Sheo, Lone Wolf," Sol cursed under his breath), he had wanted to forget everything about the Gear, now transformed to the buxomly cute and overly energetic Justine (again, Sol cursed "damn you for pairing me with Justine, Sheo," before he gave it up), once and for all. And yet here, the lone wolf Alexander mentioned the name, and for a reason even he did not know.

"Sol?" He was startled and looked back at Alex. "Did anything hit your mind?"

"No, nothing," Sol answered and put a hand over his headband. "I was just surprised when you mentioned the name. But why did you tell me that you…?"

"Feel familiar?" Alex spoke and shrugged. "I don't even know, but I have this feeling… that this person may have an important answer I need."

Just then Dizzy ran toward him and hid behind his back. "Help me, Alex! Hotaru-_chan_, Hibiki-_chan_ and Millia want to tickle me!" she cried.

"Are they?" Alex asked, even as he and Sol were equally surprised by the unexpected interference.

"Yes, they are!" Dizzy answered and clung onto him, while making her cutely afraid face. "Please, Alex, do something about them…!"

"Aw, look at her." Alex and Sol turned to the source of the voice and saw the three women walking toward them. "Hiding behind her newfound love in fear of us. I'm so jealous at Dizzy-_chan_," Hotaru said with mischievous eyesight.

"More like a boyfriend to me," Millia added.

"I just hope Ky-_san_ isn't getting overly mad to see this lovey-dovey scene," Hibiki spoke and giggled. "But Alex-_san_ as Dizzy-_chan's_ boyfriend? That's a shocking development."

"Why are you suddenly making conclusions?" Dizzy demanded, even as her face was tainted with the bright colour of embarrassed blush. "He's a boy and he's a friend, but Alex's not my boyfriend!"

Alex scratched his head in amazement. "This is getting more complicated than ever…"

As for Sol, he just shrugged. "Whatever." Again, Kagura appeared from nowhere and gave him a big hug over his neck. Sol grumbled at the constant glomp but decided not to do anything about, and let himself be ogled.

**Author's note**: the song Dizzy hummed in Alex's dream of the Devil's Living Place was "_Lonely_" by Akon.


	19. Chapter 19: Clash of Three Warriors

**Heart of the Melting Blood  
Legend of the Moonlight  
Written and conceived by:** Lone Wolf NEO

Lone Wolf NEO does not own any of all the games or anime or manga featured in this story, but he owns the copyright to all his original ideas in this fiction. The author would really appreciate it if readers do not plagiaries everything inside this story without his knowledge.

**Chronological Note:** _Heart of the Melting Blood: Legend of the Moonlight_ takes place scarcely half a year after the event in _Heart of the Melting Blood RELOADED_, and currently runs roughly in parallel with _Guilty Gear: the World within and Without_ written and created by Sheo Darren. This is _Heart of Melting Blood: Legend of the Moonlight's_ new arc, the Awe of She Arc, which takes approximately a week after events in FATE Arc, and takes place in a peaceful, seaside town away from all the chaos and disorders. This is the arc where another half of the story will be revealed, thus completing the story… hopefully.

**Chapter 19  
Clash of the Three Warriors**

It had been a very great and memorable day for the summer group; added with the presence of Alex, unexpected but very much accepted, it was the best they ever had. Now that the summer holiday's over, it was time to pack home. Save for Dizzy, who wished the holiday was longer, everybody else was satisfied to enjoy the day without having to face all the hassles and hardships.

("But I don't get it," along came Yuuki's voice, even as she and her crews observed the event onboard Death Star, "of all people, why does Lone Wolf-_san_ want Alex and Dizzy to be paired? I don't think Ky will approve of this, and Lone Wolf-_san_ still doesn't explain me on this matter. Sheesh."

"Err… That Girl," Raven interfered, "perhaps it's because Lone Wolf knows what's best for the two of them?"

"Besides, Alex-_kun_ and Dizzy-_chan_ look very cute with each other!" suggested Tessa, who _happened_ to be onboard the space station. Yes, the author stressed on the word _happened_, so don't ask.

That Girl glared at the _Tristan da Tuatha_ captain. "I thought you're still onboard your ship, Tessa," she insisted.

"Why, I'm on vacation," the grey-haired girl giggled.

Just then, Ruri interfered. "_Baaka_," the girl promptly said and walked back to her room. Yuuki, Tessa and Raven glanced at the member of the Nadesico ship and blinked in amazement. At the same time, the cue of '_Scandalous'_ echoed in the control room, further adding the amusement to the three people.)

"So, we won't meet again after this, huh Mr. & Mrs. Rage?" Alex asked.

"Well, yeah, I think," Venom answered. "We still have renovation of our house to do, and we need to finish it before Christmas."

"And while we're on it, why don't you visit us?" Millia suggested, even as her hair started prodding Venom's forehead. "Perhaps if you're to bring Dizzy, Hotaru and Hibiki along, it'd be fun."

"Hmm, I'll think of that," Alex answered and thoughtfully scratched his chin, before he turned his attention to Hibiki. "And what about you, Miss Takane?"

The Takane heir just smiled and corrected her sunflower hat, even while she was standing on the railway platform. "I'm going to my home in Kiev, there's nothing I can do here anyway even if I opt to stay," she said, and here she snapped when she heard a disapproving cough. She turned to Hotaru, and could see her mischievous grin. "Don't tell me you're going to tease me this time, Hotaru-_chan_."

"Why, yes I am," Hotaru replied and giggled. "You're going to save your boyfriend from his glompy-licious Mriya-_san_ and ask him for a date under the hazelnut tree, _right_?" she suggested with a very teasing tone on the last word. "Aw, that makes me so jealous to see your romantic affair with him, especially when autumn's coming. Can I go with you and date Lone Wolf-_san__instead_?"

The suggestion was merely a joke, yet Hibiki took it too seriously. Way too seriously. "Never! No one but me can ask him for a date! Not you, not Mriya-_san_…"

(Back at Kiev, Mriya was happily ogling Hikki when she suddenly sneezed. "Hey, I wonder who mentions my name," she wondered and rubbed her itchy nose.

"_Oneesan_, will you please stop ogling me!" Hikki demanded. The cheerful woman, as usual, protested her little brother and continued cuddling him. "Bah, I give up. But can anybody please help me this instance!"

Mai, on the other hand, watched in pity as her husband was poorly asking for her rescue. "Shame on you, Hikki," she commented with very cold, glaring eyesight.

"Aw, Mai-_chan_, what's the matter?" And here Mriya switched target and seized Mai's neck, repeating the same thing she always did to her plush doll to the Swordswoman of Fate. "Is Mai-_chan_ angry because I always ogle her lovey-dovey Chrono?"

"Mriya-_oneesan_, please stop it! For a single woman who isn't married, that's a disgrace," helplessly Mai insisted.

Mriya, however, was undeterred by the words and rubbed her cheeks against Mai's. "Hey, I didn't know Mai-_chan_ is glompy-licious too," she remarked and embraced Mai even tighter than she always did to Hikki.)

"…and not even Dizzy-_chan_!" Hibiki continued.

"_Mou_, why do I get involved?" Dizzy demanded.

It was only seconds later that Hibiki realized what she had spoken in the open public, and was now trying to hide her embarrassed face. "_Yada_… I'm not supposed to say that… _dame-dame-dame-dame-dame_!" she insisted and repeatedly shook her blushing face.

Alex just sighed at the silliness and shrugged. "Anyway, I think the train's going to depart anytime soon," he said.

"Yeah, I think we have to go now," Venom said and boarded the train, with Millia following closely behind. Hibiki followed on as well, although she went to another train headed to Kiev. "We'll meet again, Alex!" they shouted after boarding the train.

"We will!" Alex shouted and waved to them.

A loud announcement from the officer-on-duty and a deafening whistle later, both trains departed from the railway station and was set off to their destination. Alex, Dizzy and Hotaru continually waved to the departing passengers before they looked at each other. "So, what's next?" Alex asked.

"Umm, I think we should go home too," Dizzy suggested. "Do you have anywhere to stay after this?"

"I don't think I have any," he answered. "Why?"

And here Dizzy giggled. "Then why don't you stay at our place? Well, I know it's kind of weird to ask somebody else, but I'm sure you wouldn't mind," she said.

"Sound like a good idea," Alex said and nodded.

"_Sou da!"_ Hotaru interjected. "We haven't had our dinner together, _ne_ Dizzy-_chan_? What if we invite Alex-_san_ to come along? It'd be fun if he's with us tonight."

"That's right!" Dizzy immediately took Alex's hand and held it tightly. "It's been a long time since we last had dinner together. You wouldn't mind it if we ask you to join us, right?"

x-x

It was a very short trip, and soon the three people arrived at their residence just at the outskirt of the town Lyon. Alex cooed in fascination when he looked at the architecture of the mansion, which was largely inspired by the palace of Versailles although in a smaller scale. "Wow, you girls surely have massive financial background to live in such a luxurious house," he commented.

"Why don't you take a walk around here first?" Dizzy suggested. "We'll let you know after we finish making the dinner."

"Okay," he said and looked around him. "Then I'll go to the church first for a bit of… session." He waved to the girls and walked to the old church just across the grazing field. Again, curiosity took place as he looked at the sight of the church. And somehow, he had a sense of _déjà vu_ that he had seen the religious building before.

"Well, the only answer is to find it out," he told himself and approached the church. He arrived at the building and examined the worn-out door before slowly opened it, exposing himself to an abandoned gathering hall. It's empty, he thought as he walked in, and there's nobody to be seen inside this hall. His only guess was that the church had been abandoned for a very long time for a reason only God knows.

He stumbled across a metal plate as he approached the preaching altar. He knelt next to it and lifted the plate, blowing the dust away as he did. Then he read its engraved inscription.

"_In memories of knights of holy orders who were wrongfully slain on the faithful Easter's Days. May God bless their soul and put His divine retribution upon him who had allowed himself to be sinned."_

He suddenly snapped. This time, a flashback of a forgotten event happening at the very place he was kneeling in bombarded his memory. He shivered, dropped the platter back to the ground, and groaned in pain even as the flashback became clearer. It was now obvious that the after-effect was agonizing, and it was so painful that he screamed on top of his lungs.

He settled down. The flashback had gone, as suddenly as it had appeared. His breath was hoarse, and his face was coated in thick sheen of sweat. It was such a painful event that he felt as if his life was taken away. Slowly he stood back on his feet and gazed at the icon of Virgin Mary for a very long time, the latter gazed down at him calmly.

Then he turned around and walked toward the door. "I… I should go now…"

x-x-x-x-x

It's dinner time for the residents of the mansion, and like the two women promised, it was an occasion full of fun and excitement. As usual, the two women were busy chattering among themselves while feeding each other, giggling as they did. And somehow, they had found their time cooking variety of meals even they never expected to prepare in the shortest time. Not only that, the songs of _Mai HIME _and a certain Tagalog song were also played in the background, further enhancing the friendly atmosphere.

Alex, however, was in deep thought. The served porridge was taken for granted as he was pondering of the flashback he had at the church. Not only he was intrigued and disturbed, he also wondered whether the flashback had link with the _déjà vu_ he had earlier.

"Alex, Alex!" He was startled and quickly turned his attention to the now dismayed Dizzy. "_Mou_! What's wrong with you, Alex? Did anything come up in your mind?" she demanded.

Trying to hide his anxiety, he forced himself to laugh. "No, I just drifted in my thought," he told the Gear.

Dizzy grumbled at the answer and forcibly shoved a spoonful of porridge into his mouth. "Oh! Will you please stop being absent-minded? We're having a nice dinner right now, and you decide to think of anything else? It's not good, you know," she reminded.

"Oh-ho. I think Dizzy-_chan_ never does this to Ky-_chan_ before," Hotaru teased and foxily elbowed Dizzy. "May I know why you want to do this to Alex-_san_ only, hmm?"

"Hotaru-_chan_, stop it!" along came the embarrassed Gear's protest.

"Aw, Dizzy-_chan_ doesn't want to admit it! Boo-hoo!" Hotaru exclaimed and splattered a spoonful of mousse onto her face, before scrambling away from the dining table. Dizzy snapped in anger and chased the firefly girl around the dining room, leaving the dumbfounded Alex behind.

"Hey, I think I'm going to join this mess too," Alex declared and threw a scoop of ice-cream at Dizzy. It hit her face, and the woman was now channelling her anger toward the lone wolf. Alex laughed at her reaction and jumped away, even as she grabbed a blueberry pie and tossed it at his direction. "I think I just made Dizzy-_chan_ angry. Uh, I'm so scared," he uttered.

"Why do you suddenly call me with the –_chan_ suffix, Alex?" she demanded.

"Because I find it fitting your cuteness, that's why," he suggested, and was promptly hit by another blueberry pie. "Hey, wasting food isn't nice, you know," he demanded and wiped the food off his face.

"Yeah! Didn't Ky-_chan_ tell you not to use food as weapons?" Hotaru added and made a 'no-no' sign.

The Gear had it enough, especially when Alex was the one who made her embarrassed. She charged at him and chased him out of the kitchen. "I'm so going to catch you tonight, Alex!" she cried.

x-x-x-x-x

Midnight arrived. Almost everything on the earth that breathed was soundly sleeping, drifting deep inside dreamlands they were visiting, leaving those accustomed to the darkest of night to roam about. It was a serene hours of darkness; gentle wind of the night blowing softly against leaves and grasses, while crickets and owls rhymed and hummed together to the song of the night.

The lone wolf of holy orders revisited the old church and approached the old altar. Taking a very long time to familiarize himself with the lurking silence inside the building, Alex knelt in front of the altar and brought both his hands toward his chest, even as he was praying in low murmurs.

"God," he started his prayers, "I don't know of whatever I had done in the past that caused people to hurt me, but if I indeed had committed such a sin, I pray for You to reveal it to me." He continued praying, oblivious of the night that was growing older and quieter, and little did he know that a pair of feet was stepping into the hall.

"I've finally found you."

_Who is it?_ Slowly he stood up and turned his attention to the caller. It was her, the woman he so faithfully cared of he was willing to put his life at stake. The sight of her in the night gown, altogether with her sapphire hair free of any restraints, was more than pleasing for him. Yet her presence in the church was concerning him. What had brought her to such a place, and why?

"What are you doing here? I thought you're still sleeping right now," asked the man and turned back to face the altar. He heard nothing but footsteps, and soon realized that her intention was only to be close to him, indicated by a lithe body pressing itself against his back. "Dizzy?"

"Hush. Don't say anything for now…" he heard her whispers, even as he felt her arms tightened around him. Her body was pressed closer, and for a moment he gulped at the warmth breath he felt upon his back.

"Dizzy, what are you doing?" demanded the lone wolf, even as he tried not to submit to the embrace, and remained stiff.

"I've been waiting for this day," Dizzy whispered and rested upon the tough masculine figure, holding it as closely as she could. "I've been looking forward to see this day… when I can finally tell you of my feeling…"

"What are you talking of?" he replied.

"Please… I need you to hear it," she spoke and buried her face beneath the man's garb. "I… I cannot keep it inside of me any longer. I must let you know my feeling toward you, or else… I may not have the chance again…"

"Your feeling… towards me?" This time, he eased off a bit and slowly took a hold on her hands. "What… what do you want to tell me?"

"It's… it's about our promise…" answered the Gear while tightly clenching her hands which were holding his. "I understand it if you don't remember anything from that day, but if you do…" And here she let go off him and walked until she was shun by moonlight coming from another window. There was no word spoken during the brief silence that followed, even as the twos stood motionless inside the hall.

"Why," Alex subsequently broke the silence, "should I remember anything from that day? And what's with this promise? Did I… did I make any of it with you?" He later heard a soft-sounding weep, and cautiously he approached the woman, only to see a bitterly crying Dizzy. "Dizzy, did I say anything wrong?"

"You idiot…!" Dizzy spun on her feet and hurled at him with such force, Alex stumbled backward as she landed on his chest.

"Dizzy?"

"How could you say such a thing...!" she whined and clung onto him for the second time. "Why must you forget the promise? Why must you not remember it? Why?"

"But Dizzy, I…"

"I don't care! I don't care whether you're pained by your memories! I don't care of how painful it is to have it back! I just want you to remember the day we made the promise…" she continually sobbed. "Please, Alex… that's all I want to ask from you…"

Slightly he pulled himself away from her. Slowly, he brought his hands to her face, cupped both the tears-dampened, flushed cheeks and brought her face towards his. The young woman was startled by the featherlike touch of his hands, and was more surprised when she found herself wrapping her arms about his neck. Yet she did nothing to stop it, and she was sure that he, too, didn't bother of what was to become upon them. And then he was lowering his mouth onto her partially opened lips…

"For God's sake!"

Dizzy was startled by the sudden uproar and pulled herself away from Alex. She turned to the owner of the shout, and an extremely shocked expression appeared across her face. An equally surprised Alex looked at the person, and he too was appalled.

"Ky?"

Without saying anything, Ky charged forward, leaving the bedazzled Rock behind, and hurled himself at Alex in such speed, the lone wolf barely had time to push Dizzy away and block the oncoming tackle with bare wrists.

"What are you trying to do to her, Alexander?" Ky roared and pushed Alex to the far end of the hall.

"Why are you attacking me?" Alex demanded.

"Insolent traitor!" Ky delivered a hard kick onto Alex's torso and sent him flying to the wall with a Vapour Thrust. The knight jumped away and immediately approached Dizzy, by now horrified at what was happening. "Dizzy, are you alright? Did he hurt you?"

"What have you done to Alex, Ky!" replied the Gear. "Why did you attack him?"

"What? You have no idea of who this criminal is," Ky answered and pointed the Thunderseal to Alex. "And yet you allow him to harm you? You don't know how dangerous he is to you."

"But he's not!" Dizzy denied the claim. "He's never done anything to me! Why are you suddenly calling him a criminal?"

Just then, Alex woke up and tried to recover himself from the jolting uppercut. Ky immediately backed Dizzy and opened a fighting stance. "Stand back, Dizzy. This man has no right of living as a human because he chose to betray us and fight with our enemy instead," he declared. "I, therefore, shall execute him in the name of the Holy Orders!"

"Ky, stop it!"

It was useless. Ky fired a Sacred Edge at the staggering Alex, pursued the projectile overdrive and attacked him from an overhead direction. Again, Alex was knocked off and could not defend himself nor fight back, even as the angry knight hammered him many times and sent him through the ceiling window with Ride the Lightning. He crashed on the nearby cemetery, still under pursuit by the Holy Knight who fired a charged aerial Stun Edge at him. He managed to see it coming and rolled out of its attack range. He got back on his knees, gasped at the inflicting pain on his chest and put a hand over a bleeding scar.

"You didn't answer my question, mister," he growled.

"Why should I answer the likes of you?" Ky persisted and started charging up the sword. "Let me tell you something, Alexander. You had committed the worst crime in the world, and you allegedly allowed the Gears to corrupt your mind and turn you against us. Murderer of mankind, slaughterer of people, disruptor of family ties. Your sin is beyond the grace of God."

"What? Even God's against me?" Alex cried out and writhed when his head ached. "What had I done in the past that you call me a criminal?"

"Don't tell me you forgot!" Ky screamed and fired a very taut Sacred Edge. The light blade came out too fast for Alex to block, and it hit directly on the scar. He was flung toward a boulder and got knocked out when his head crashed on it. Ky marched toward him, grabbed his collar and single-handedly lifted the unconscious man. "Traitor of justice," he growled and tossed Alex back to the ground. "And yet you didn't even bother of fighting back. I was expecting you, assassin-turned-knight, to give me everything you have. You're even lowlier than those Gears." He, then, brought Thunderseal erect in the air, and glowered at Alex. "Say your last prayers, Alexander."

"Ky, no!" Dizzy immediately jumped in and backed the fallen man, spreading her arms as she did. "Don't do this! He can't fight anymore!"

"Why do you bother to be his aide, Dizzy?" demanded the knight. "Are you trying to turn your back against me and humanity? Step back, I will execute him and deal with you later on."

"Have you gone crazy? What's wrong with you, Ky? You're not even like this!" she pleaded.

"I've had it enough. Everyone's making fool of me and I can't even have my chance to punish the wrongdoers," Ky uttered. "And seeing you getting kissed by him, on top of that, do you have any idea of how mad I was?"

"Why do you want to care of that!" she replied in sheer embarrassment. "We didn't mean to!"

"Enough saying." A hard backhand perched upon her face, and Dizzy was sent crashing on the ground. Ky glared at the young woman, snorted under his breath and turned back to Alex. What was greeting him afterwards was so unexpected that Ky had not expected it to happen upon him.

"We meet again, Ky Kiske," along came Alex's murderous voice. His hand started crushing Ky's throat, and his red-blooded eyes were deeply consuming him. Somehow, the Warrior's Berserk had been invoked, and he was now awakened by a sense of murder so strong it pressed even the hardest of Ky's determination. "And I must say, Ky, you're making a terrible mistake by slapping Dizzy just a while ago."

"For God's sake, what do you want from me!" Ky choked as he was struggling to get free.

"Revenge, I believe," he answered. "And by calling me a traitor of humankind and sinner for protecting the Gears, you're expecting me to succumb to justice and allow my body and soul to be executed?" With that said Alex punched Ky right on the solar plexus and threw him back at the boulder he had crashed on earlier. "Foolish of you. I defended those Gears because they had rights to live like the rest of us. I fought for them because they couldn't afford to protect themselves. Do you ever realize how deeply torn my heart was when they were slaughtered _right_ before my eyes? Those damned knights didn't care whether the Gears could fight or not! All they did was to blindly follow orders and kill them!"

"Gears are Gears! They are destined to be enemy of mankind!" Ky shouted back even as he hastily stood back and resumed his stance. "What do you know about them?"

Alex took out his marionette gloves and wore them, slowly as he did. "They were my family, and they were the one who had saved me from those bastards. They had treated me and accepted me when my existence was rejected and despised. They had given me love and care when my soul was filled with hatred and sorrows. They were more than everything to me, when I thought I had lost anything in the world," he answered. "And if you think Dizzy and I never met, you were wrong. We had, and we had made that promise together before I was forced to abandon her." And here he turned his attention to Dizzy, whose bright ruby eyes were telling him that she could not believe herself. "I'm sorry, Dizzy, but I had to."

"Alex, you finally remember…" Realizing what finally happened to him she ran toward him but was stopped in the middle of track. She tried to get away from the hand that was holding her shoulder when she realized it belonged to Sol. "Sol? What's brought you here?"

"Stay back, Dizzy. This is not going to be pleasant," Sol replied and stepped forward. "Look, kid. I've told you I'm going to find you first if anything were to happen to Dizzy, haven't I?" he asked Alex.

"Sol! What are you doing here?" Ky demanded, surprised by the presence of the Gear.

"I've still got an unfinished business with this kid to settle," Sol promptly answered and brought down the Fireseal he was slinging over his shoulder. "And as I said on that day, I won't be nice at you, kid. Are you ready?"

"Even if this may cost my life," Alex uttered and pulled out a _kodachi_ hidden beneath his sleeves, "I will not allow her to cry, or to shed even a drop of tear. This is what I had promised to her on that faithful day."

"Huh. Do whatever you want to," Sol grumbled and opened his stance. And so did Ky, who was more than eager to punish the so-claimed wrongdoer in the name of his justice. Alex spun the sword in rapid successions before he, too, made a fighting pose. And now the three warriors, once serving the Holy Orders as their rightful knights, were pitted against each other in a duel only God knows why.

_Heaven or Hell!_

_Duel 1!_

_LET'S ROCK!_

A scream of battle cry, the sounds of three colliding steels, and the battle officially started. The Corrupted Flame, the Knight of Hope, and the Lone Wolf. These three people would soon outwit and outsmart each other in the duel no one could foretell its outcome, and soon they would be fighting for the truth that must be unfolded tonight.

"No, please…" Dizzy whimpered as she and Kagura witnessed the clash of the three warriors. She stepped forward as to approach the battlefield when Kagura's hand stopped her cold. "Let me go! I must tell them that Alex won't survive the fight!"

Instead, she just shook her head. The heir of the Souma family stared at the female Gear in thoughtful sight and said, "Sol-_kun_ said Alex-_kun_ must know the truth today, or he'll forever be haunted by delusion he made up."

"Delusion?"

"Only Sol-_kun_ knows the answer."

Dizzy looked back and forth between Kagura and Alex, the latter escaped a massive combo attack of Tyrant Rave and Sacred Edge, and she had to surrender. _This duel couldn't be stopped even if I have the strength to prevent it from happening_, she thought and immediately left the cemetery without looking back.

"Please, Alex, don't get killed…"


	20. Chapter 20: Contradanza

**Heart of the Melting Blood  
Legend of the Moonlight  
Written and conceived by:** Lone Wolf NEO

Lone Wolf NEO does not own any of all the games or anime or manga featured in this story, but he owns the copyright to all his original ideas in this fiction. The author would really appreciate it if readers do not plagiaries everything inside this story without his knowledge.

**Chronological Note:** _Heart of the Melting Blood: Legend of the Moonlight_ takes place scarcely half a year after the event in _Heart of the Melting Blood RELOADED_, and currently runs roughly in parallel with _Guilty Gear: the World within and Without_ written and created by Sheo Darren. This is _Heart of Melting Blood: Legend of the Moonlight's_ new arc, the Awe of She Arc, which takes approximately a week after events in FATE Arc, and takes place in a peaceful, seaside town away from all the chaos and disorders. This is the arc where another half of the story will be revealed, thus completing the story… hopefully.

**Chapter 20  
Contradanza**

Weeks had passed. The relationship between Alex and Dizzy grew fonder, and the affection they shared became warmer. They had the opportunity to know each other closer, and they had the chance to spend the days at the secluded forest together. Their relationship was even given approval by Testament, even though the humanoid Gear had to take a bitter decision in letting Alex to stay at Devil's Living Place.

And today, Alex and Dizzy were walking around the flower garden. It was Dizzy that requested him to accompany her while making headdress from flowers that grew in abundance around the garden. He was reluctant at first; he thought Dizzy was trying too much in fostering the friendship. Yet the girl was as persistent as she always was, and he soon realized there was nothing else he could do but to follow her desire.

"Ah, yes! I know," she spoke and ran toward a field of magnolia flowers, "I'll make you a beautiful flower headdress. I used to make some of it for Testament."

"Please, Dizzy, you don't have to," he declined.

"Why not? We're friends, right?" she insisted, as a playful smile appeared across her face.

He just stared at the girl, who happily hummed the heavenly song of _Mizu to Akashi_, and sighed. He realized of how importance the girl was to him, yet he knew that he could not forever stay at the forest and protect her.

"Say, Dizzy."

Dizzy stopped picking the flowers off the ground and turned to him. "Yes, sir? What is it?"

"I was wondering," he spoke. "I was wondering whether… something would come across our path. Like… being forced to abandon each other because of inevitable reasons."

The question surprised her, yet being a woman with an inevitable innocence, she merely chuckled. "What are you talking of, sir?" she asked and put a ring of flowers upon his head. "I don't think we'll come across such a thing, because we're going to stay together." And here she seized his hand and held it very tightly. "This is what I've been looking forward. Imagine, the two of us –just you and I— living together in this place, and not having to worry of anything."

Astounded, he stared at Dizzy. For once, he could not believe what he had heard. "Both of us? Living together? But Dizzy, why in a sudden…?"

The grip on his hand tightened. The ruby eyes were deeply gazing at him. "Why can't we? Is it because you fear that Testament will hurt you?" She giggled and put an assuring palm upon his face. "Don't think like that, sir. He may look unfriendly, but I'm very sure he will accept you as a part of our family."

"Family?"

"Yes, we are family," she answered with a very wide, sincere, smile. "And you know what… I have something to tell you." He stared at her, and noticed that she frowned, as if trying not to let him see her blushing face. "I… I've wanted to tell you this since you arrived here." Her blush grew redder, and she tried to no avail to hide it. "Each time I think of you, my heart would go crazy and… and come to think about it, I feel strangely happy every time you're with me. I…"

"What are you talking of, Dizzy?" he asked.

"Sir," and here she lifted her face, revealing her hopeful eyes, "would it be alright to you if I tell you…"

"Would be alright if what?" he replied.

She gulped, gathered the best of her courage and opened her mouth. "…if I tell you that I love you?"

It was probably the most unbelievable revelation he had yet to face. His mind was blurry, and he had no idea that he would hear the confession from a woman he regarded as a mere friend. To deny the answer would mean to break her heart, and to accept it would lead him to the most painful fate since the death of his dearest Hikaru. But he wanted to tell her how he loved her, how he cared of her. All along the time, she had reminded him of the Gear woman whose heart was as pure as snow, and he could not run away from the fact of how similar she was to her.

"Sir? What's the matter?"

He was startled and turned his attention to the young woman. Forcing a smile on his face, he gently caressed her face. "Let me guess. You love me… because I'm a friend to you. Is that what you want to tell me?"

"You're more than a friend," she answered. "You're… everything to me. I love you because… because I believe I've found the right person for me."

Again, he forced himself to chuckle. "That's so sweet of you, Dizzy. I'm so happy to hear that."

"But why you look sad? Do I remind you of someone, sir?"

She was right, he thought. She did remind him of Hikaru, and there was no way he could deny it. He wanted to tell her the truth, but somehow his tongue was shackled. The innocent eyes were too pure for any bloody truth he was going to reveal. He was reluctant, because he realized the consequences if he were to break a heart. Nevertheless, he could care less of everything as he found himself closing the distance between them, cupping the flushed cheeks and lowering his face toward hers. She gasped at the careful, featherlike touch she felt upon her face, yet didn't do anything to prevent the consequences from happening. And then they were close to each other, and their lips were about to be sealed…

Ravens suddenly shrieked and scattered from trees. An explosion had shaken the whole of Devil's Living Place, and so loud it was that took the couple completely by surprise. Alex pulled away from Dizzy and turned to the direction of the explosion. "Something's wrong… I'm going to check it." He seized Black Sabbath, moved away and headed to the forest, leaving the startled Dizzy behind. "Dizzy, stay wherever you are and don't leave this place!" he shouted.

He arrived at the place he heard the explosion and was awed at what he saw. A patch of scorched land was stretching as far as an eye could see, filled with fresh fragrance of charred wood and smokes. "What on earth is going on here?" he demanded and looked for any sign of the would-be arsonist.

"Urgh…"

He saw a man lying under a burnt tree, and immediately approached him. He found that the man was Testament, and asked him of what had happened. "It's him…" he spoke in a trembling voice, "and he's after Dizzy…"

"What!"

Another explosion was heard, and this time it was coming from Devil's Living Place. Realizing Dizzy's life was in jeopardy he left Testament and ran back to the place. It was disturbingly silent when he arrived, and he looked around for Dizzy while calling out her name.

"KYAA!"

He turned to his right, and was horrified. A man was tossing a gigantic fireball at Dizzy, sending the female Gear toward a boulder. Reacting on instinct, he jumped in and snatched her body before she crashed, and was in frantic as she was found unconscious. Driven by angry, he glared at the attacker. And he was in shock.

"Sol!"

The owner of the name turned to Alex in response, and merely had an unconvincing look upon his face. "What the hell are you doing here, Lone Wolf?" He was promptly attacked, but it was so weak he lazily repelled it with one arm.

"What have you done to her?" Alex shouted.

Sol was glowering at him. "Her? Dizzy? You just have no idea of who you're dealing with. She's a bounty, and protecting a bounty is the most idiotic thing you would do," he said.

"You didn't answer my question!" Alex pounced back at Sol, delivered a kick onto his chest that was deflected by the Corrupted Flame's Fireseal. Sol counterattacked but Alex was too fast for his Bandit Revolver, and the lone wolf now caught him from the behind. "You didn't answer my question, Sol. Don't make me do this," he threatened as the _kodachi_ was brought across Sol's neck.

"Shut up, kid." Sol grabbed Alex on the collar of his black uniform, Wild Threw him off the ground and knocked him flat with Volcanic Viper. He left the defeated wolf and walked back into the forest.

"Sol!"

The Corrupted Flame halted, turned around, and saw Alex getting back on his feet. Now he was grumbling to see the undeterred stubborn of the wolf. "Don't you ever think of giving up, kid?"

"Why are you doing this? Why are you attacking Dizzy? Answer me, please!" he shouted.

Sol snorted. "For a knight who'd do anything to protect a Gear, you're such a simple-minded kid. Why don't you leave this place instead of lurking like a freeloader?"

That was the most irritating insult someone would hear from a Corrupted Flame, and the person who heard the offence happened to be the lone wolf. "Damn you, Sol! I won't let you leave this forest!"

Again, Sol growled. "Fine. If you insist to, then meet me at the cliff this midnight." That was his only answer before he resumed his walk, and disappeared in the woods. Alex was left, altogether with his anger and hatred burning inside of him. The soul of the wolf was howling bitterly, demanding him to let it free to feast upon its prey, the Corrupted Flame named Sol Badguy.

He frowned. Of all people, he had wished not to face Sol in person, his worst enemy after the discriminating knights of the order. He realized; to meet and challenge the Corrupted Flame himself would put him into an agonizing trouble. The trouble he had struggled to avoid.

x-x-x-x-x

Alex panted heavily. The first round of the duel was all but enjoying. Fatigue, wound, agony and fury were taking over. His black Holy Orders uniform was torn all over the place, and his scarf was almost shredded into pieces. Red tears of blood was dripping from his eyes, dampening his clothes and staining them with the smell of body fluid. Yet all of them didn't matter to him, neither did the fact that he was fighting his own comrades.

Alex lowered his weapon and put a hand over his eye. "What an irony," he uttered and grimly laughed. "The three of us, once served the Holy Orders as their knights of virtue, now pitted against each other in a battle neither of us can predict its outcome. What will become of each and every one of us, I wonder."

"Silence, Alexander!" Ky demanded and pointed Thunderseal at his position. He, too, was battered after an intense first round he and Sol had faced. Furious as he always was, he wasn't impressed with Sol's back-laid tactic against the lone wolf. All thoughts of the matter were put away, he thought as he decided to put an end on the duel. "I'm going to punish you, I'm going to put you into agony like what you had done to our fellows, and I'm going to show you what it takes to become a holy knight!"

Alex laughed. "Really? Do you expect you're going to win everything by just following your so-called ideas of justice? If I were you," he spoke and pointed Black Sabbath at Ky, "I'd not have blindly followed believes that everything that against the will of God is enemy of mankind."

"Insolent! You're mocking the teachings of the God! I must kill you!" Ky pounced forward in Ride the Lightning motion and charged toward the fallen knight.

"Come and get me." The lone wolf suddenly disappeared from the place he stood. Ky's Ride the Lightning missed –literally—and he almost tripped. He turned around and saw Alex flying over the ground, and the knight immediately executed a Vapour Thrust. The uppercut was parried, and Alex counterattacked with a dive kick that hit Ky's head. Staggered and almost dizzied, Ky tried to regain balance when a slipstream sliced his arms. He screamed in pain and attempted a counterattack Crescent Slash; it missed, and he was now open.

"You are finished!" Alex reappeared from nowhere and grabbed Ky's head before pounding it onto the ground. The Holy Knight got back on his feet, only to find himself razed by invisible wind. The lone wolf was too fast for his eyes to follow, and he was in the situation where strength seemed to be outwitted by sheer speed.

Or is it?

Ky spotted a loophole in Alex's faster-than-wind sprint. He charged the Thunderseal, unleashed the sword's inner force, and plunged its tip into the ground and…

"SACRED EDGE!"

A concentrated lightning bolt struck the ground from the night sky, and it caught Alex off-guard. The lone wolf was electrocuted and crippled by the multiple thunderbolt attacks that followed the initial strike. Ky seized the opportunity, ran toward the stunned opponent and…

"TAKE THIS!"

With that said Ky slashed the Thunderseal across his face and it directly hit Alex's eyes. He was knocked back several steps behind and almost crashed on a boulder. Ky seized the chance from the confusion his archrival was facing and charged forward, aiming the fully charged up Thunderseal at Alex's chest.

"RISING!…"

The knight in black leaned slightly backward, and suddenly disappeared from sight. Ky was shocked by the unexpected move Alex would do but he was already too far from the point of turning back. Trying to slow down, he saw a very faint shadow of the former assassin passing through his body, along with a slipstream that was barely felt. Time was brought to a very haunting slowdown as he felt his body slowly numbing, and went to a halt.

"Are you…"

Ky slowly turned to his back and saw Alex in a crouching position, Black Sabbath and marionette strings fully deployed.

"Awake in your sleep?"

Before his eye could blink, Ky's chest was pierced by one of the strings, which zapped right through his heart. "What's… going on?" he moaned before an explosion ruptured his body and knocked him off the ground. The combination of the slipstream, marionette strings and Black Sabbath's deadly precision had claimed their victim of the night; Ky was defeated.

"You defeated the holy boy," Sol uttered. He was appalled by the outcome of the duel, and was not amused at what had happened to Ky. "This duel between us won't be an easy one especially after you're blinded," he sighed and put down the Fireseal.

The lone wolf slowly stood back, took off the scarf and tied it over his bloodstained eyes. Not batting an eyebrow or panting a breath, he lifted the _kodachi_ and pointed it to Sol – right on where the Corrupted Flame was standing.

"You're next."

x-x-x-x-x

She could only frown. The only glimpse of the duel she had before she was forced to leave the vicinity agonized her heart. Already she realized that the battle would be unfairly against Alex, whom had yet to recover from his body ailment. But what else she could do? She had no strength to stop the battle from lingering, and she was powerless against the three fighters.

"Please, Dizzy-_chan_," Kagura soothed her. "I don't know what makes you worried, but don't worry about Sol-_kun_ too much. He won't go over his limit."

Dizzy shook her head in denial. "But Alex can't fight them both…!" she whimpered and clenched a hand on her blouse. "I'm worried if Alex can't make it… I have to stop them." She stepped forward and found herself standing in front of the disapproving Kagura. "Please let me go, Kagura! You must understand that Alex will die if he keeps fighting them."

"I'm sorry, but I cannot let you go," calmly Kagura replied. "This is their business; we have no right to interfere."

"Why can't I!" she cried. "I don't care of what Sol and Ky are doing, but I must save Alex! If I have to die, then I will!"

"Nobody wants to die today, and I'm sure Alex-_kun_ doesn't want to either," Kagura told her. "And I'm very certain he doesn't want to see you die as well, Dizzy-_chan_."

The quote gave the innocent Gear a tremendous shock. Never in her life would she hear such a saying, and she almost broke into tears. "But I want to save him… I don't want him to die…" she whimpered and fell to her knees. "I… I just want to live with him…"

"Wow, what is going here?"

The two girls turned around and saw three visitors coming to the graveyard. They were surprised: it was Justine, Athena and Rheo, with the former twos looking around the boulevard in surprise. "I think someone has turned this place to a battlefield," Justine spoke as the group of three approached the centre of the graveyard.

"Maybe if we can ask anyone here," Athena suggested and looked around for people when she spotted Dizzy and Kagura. "Hey! Aren't those Dizzy and…?"

"Kagura-_chan_? Then Sol-_chan_ must be around!" Justine immediately rushed toward the girl. "What are you doing here with Dizzy-chan, Kagura-_chan_? And where's Sol-_chan_? I thought he's with you." Kagura just shrugged and threw her sight to the other side of the horizon. The humanoid Gear was puzzled and turned her attention to the equally surprised Dizzy. "And what happens to you, Dizzy-_chan_?"

The Gear woman jumped onto her feet and grabbed Justine's arms. "You must help me! Please stop them from hurting Alex! I beg of you!" she pleaded, even as she violently shook Justine's body.

Instead of Justine answering her, an explosion shook the whole vicinity. It was later followed by a battle cry so disturbingly loud that it was mistaken as a cry of an angel of death. They turned to the direction of the explosion and saw a column of fire blazing up to the sky. There was a moment of silence that followed the blaze, before they saw two figures jumping out of the fire pillar and crashed on the ground. Justine, as well as Athena blinked in surprise as they recognized one of the figures as Sol.

But not for Dizzy.

She released Justine from her grab and ran toward Alex but halted dead when she heard his deafening cry. "STAND BACK!" roared the lone wolf, and she stepped back in terror. Terrified by the fact that the sound was not of a sane person, but of a blood-driven killer. All she could do was to stay away and watch with a despaired heart.

x-x

It was the end of round two. Both Sol and Alex were stalemated, and neither had shown any sign of fatigue. They were equal in their own sense; Sol was enveloped by flames of Dragoon Install that didn't dissipate while Alex was still in his Warrior Berserk, the latter not showing any sign of disintegration. It was time for round three, and they were determined to end the battle tonight.

"Want to know the most ironic of things, kid?" Sol spoke and loosened the grip on the hilt of Fireseal. "We had met in the very same night, the very same hour, and we were dealing with the very same matter."

"It is an irony, indeed," Alex replied. "I thought we would never meet again after the duel at the forest, but fate was unfair enough to bring us back together."

Sol chuckled. "Ah, the day you were defeated. How can I ever forget it?"

"So do I, Sol," uttered the lone wolf and pointed Black Sabbath at Sol's face. "Because of that day, I had been forced to abandon her, when I didn't even tell her my feeling. And because of that day, I had lost faith in humanity for the second time, when I thought she could help me regain the belief."

"You're still as persistent as ever kid, even when you know you might lose again," the Corrupted Flame said.

"But it will not be the same," Alex replied and pounced at Sol. "I SHALL AVENGE MY DEFEAT TONIGHT, SOL BADGUY!"

The uppercut kick was evaded, and Sol counterattacked with Bandit Revolver. The revolving kick knocked Alex back to the ground, and the Guilty Gear fired a tense Gun Flame at the lone wolf. Nimbly Alex evaded the projectile and tossed a marionette string at Sol's position. It missed, and he found himself facing the Dragon Installed Sol.

"VOLCANIC VIPER!

The uppercut attack was too fast for him to avoid, and Alex was sent tens of feet to the air before brought back to the ground by Sol's knockdown kick. Sol didn't stop there; like a machinegun, he tossed aerial Gun Flames at Alex's positions. Against all odds, Alex deployed defensive walls made of strings that repelled the thousands of pounds of elemental projectiles and escaped before the wall collapsed under pressure. The blindfold warrior fired a marionette string at Sol in counterattack attempt; it snatched the Fireseal, and the Corrupted Flame was immediately under control of the assassin knight.

"Don't tell me you're going to do that again, kid!" Sol roared as he tried to set himself free from the entangling string. The blindfold knight ignored the demand and tightened the string before he jumped over Sol and rained a volley of dagger at his head. The Corrupted Flame unleashed a defensive fire wall, protecting himself from becoming a target dummy for the daggers. As if knowing what became of the tactic, Alex fired a marionette string at Sol's leg and brought him flying to the air, whilst he landed effortlessly on his feet. He spun the string-controlling palm in rapid movement before brought Sol back to the ground.

"Once I defeat you, then the vengeance will be complete. I will have accomplished my major task in avenging the death of the Gears." The assassin knight leapt toward the knight, lowering the position of the _kodachi_, and disappeared from sight. Sol got back on his feet, only to find himself engulfed by slipstreams of wind that started razing his body.

"You're still with those thoughts of yours?" Sol growled and hastened to lift the tied Fireseal. "I don't think so! SAVAGE FANG!" The tip of the sword was plunged into the ground, and a column of fire the size of Napalm Death exploded from crevasse beneath. The lone wolf was caught in surprise and had to abandon the instant kill attempt to avoid from being trapped in the inferno. He did not see Sol coming, and was grabbed on the neck. Trying to flee, he felt the hand unusually hot and burning through his skin.

"Wake up, kid. Your delusion is over tonight."

But instead of Wild Thrown, he was punched on the midsection, and was tackled by a Grand Viper. But it was not the move that the Corrupted Flame executed; it was the move Sol had long neglected from the day he became a Holy Knight. It was the move that proved to be even deadlier than Napalm Death, the symbol of Sol's excessive manipulation of the element of flame.

"Baptism."

Alex managed to turn to the source of the voice.

"By Fire."

In an instant, a giant cross made of fire scorched the ground, taking the black feather with it. Dizzy screamed in horror when the blazing cross engulfed Alex with intensity nobody dared to approach. Justine, Athena, Rheo and Kagura who rushed to the scene were appalled and tried to get closer; the blistering heat hampered their effort and they were forced to stay at a safe distance.

The cross of fire dissipated. Sol stood back from his Grand Viper and turned around; he was not impressed at what happened to his rival. Alex was left on the centre of the burnt ground, kneeling with Black Sabbath plunged into the earth. His black Holy Orders uniform was totalled, and his scar-ridden chest was exposed to the mixture of hot and cold air. The blindfold, the trousers, the sword and the marionette gloves were almost destroyed in the fire as well. Yet somehow the 'flame cleansing' failed to bring him down.

"He survived it?" Sol growled and brought Fireseal over his shoulder. "This calls for an extreme measure. Napalm!…"

"No, stop it!" Dizzy ran to the scene and stood between the two warriors. "Stop this at once! He can't continue this fight anymore!"

"Step back, I said," Sol demanded.

"NO! If you're going to kill him, then do it on me as well!" she replied.

Sol growled at the demand. "Dizzy, don't make me do this. I don't want to hurt you, so step back."

"Never!" And here Dizzy glowered at Sol with the eyes of a human woman. Sol exchanged his sight with her, and groaned in both anger and amazement at the determination she showed. "I will not allow anyone to hurt him! Not even you or Ky!"

"It's alright." Dizzy was startled when she felt arms wrapping about her shoulders. "It's alright, Dizzy. It's over now. Sol won't need to do it, and I won't need to fight him either," she heard Alex weakly whispering.

Tightly she held the charred arms and buried her face beneath it. "But Alex, they hurt you…" she whined. "Sol hurt you, and Ky hurt you too…" She, then, leaned against the firm figure of the knight and went into tears. "You don't know how hurt my heart was to see you like this… you just don't know…"

The fallen soldier, instead, chuckled and pulled the woman into a warm embrace. "I'm sorry, Dizzy," he whispered and brushed his lips on her supple cheek. "I didn't mean to hurt your heart… I'm sorry…"

Sol could only sigh in relief and lowered the Fireseal when he saw a shadowy figure standing behind Alex with a sword lifted erect. "Kid, behind you!"

It was too late.

As soon as Alex turned around, the sword was stabbed into his chest and thousands of volts of electricity were zapped through his body. Alex was stunned, severed and could do nothing as Ky pierced the Thunderseal deeper through his chest. Dizzy, who was pulled away before the sneak attack was struck in horror to know what happened to the lone wolf but the blade pierced through her midsection before she even knew who was attacking. Sol roared in anger and caught Dizzy before she fell to the ground. "Hey, Dizzy! Can you hear me?" he called out her name. The woman was still blinking, yet she was downright dumbfounded that she could not say anything. Her mouth was murmuring something, while her shivering hand was trying to reach for Alex. "Hang on there, Dizzy, just hang on," he told her.

"You're dead, traitor…!" Sol heard the anger-driven voice of Ky and looked back. The Holy Knight, battered and outwitted from the previous duel, was seen charging up the Thunderseal as if he was going to unleash the Rising Force, and the hand holding the hilt was trembling. "You're going to die tonight!"

"No," Sol later heard Alex answering. "I will not die tonight." With that said the black feather grabbed the blade of the sword, enduring the violent lightning surge as he did, and pulled it out of his body. He immediately delivered a thrusting kick onto Ky's throat followed by a punch onto his solar plexus, before Instant Killed him for the second time.

Slowly he turned to Sol and Dizzy, the latter was looking at him in horror. "Hey, don't make that kind of face, Dizzy," Alex said, as if knowing the reaction she would have.

"But Alex…!"

"Don't worry about me. I can look for that doctor to treat me," he assured and put his hand on the scar. "If only… she didn't see this coming…"

The fallen soldier collapsed. The wound on his chest, altogether with the rest of injuries he had endured throughout the agonizing two hours of duel, was too much. Blood was gushing freely from the scar, and he was on the verge of losing too much body fluid. Dizzy jumped away from Sol, ignoring the bleeding wound she sustained, and snatched Alex before he crashed on the ground. "Alex! No, don't die!" she cried, yet the knight gave no response to each call she shouted. "No! Alex! Don't die! Alex! ALEX!"

x-x-x-x-x

Wolves were heard howling at the forest nearby. It was a long, heartbreaking and unbearable howl, and it was echoing through each and every corner of the street. It was as if the wolves sensed a catastrophe falling upon their kin, and before long the howls were heard all over the town.

She gasped. The glass she was holding dropped to the floor and shattered upon impact. "What… happens?" Sion whimpered and put a hand on her chest. She felt her heart thumping in unusual speed and she felt as if there was a disaster happening outside the mansion.

"Sion, what's wrong?" along came Ciel's voice as she walked into the kitchen. The alchemist turned around, and the Vatican agent gasped at what she saw. "Sion, you're crying!"

"I… I what?" Sion put her hand on her cheek and felt hot stream of tears flowing freely from her eyes. She was tongue-shackled, aghast at the spontaneous reaction she was having. It was only after seconds of silent that she realized what _had_ happened. "No… it cannot be…"


	21. Chapter 21: Untitled

**Heart of the Melting Blood  
Legend of the Moonlight  
Written and conceived by:** Lone Wolf NEO

Lone Wolf NEO does not own any of all the games or anime or manga featured in this story, but he owns the copyright to all his original ideas in this fiction. The author would really appreciate it if readers do not plagiaries everything inside this story without his knowledge.

**Chronological Note:** _Heart of the Melting Blood: Legend of the Moonlight_ takes place scarcely half a year after the event in _Heart of the Melting Blood RELOADED_, and currently runs roughly in parallel with _Guilty Gear: the World within and Without_ written and created by Sheo Darren.

**Author's note: **the author was joking on the statement that Chapter 20 would be _Heart of Melting Blood: Legend of the Moonlight's _last chapter. Instead, the story will continue in a new arc, _Destiny Arc_, which takes place not long after the battle between the three knights of the Holy Orders in the Awe of She arc. And this time, the author will promise an ending to this tale of betrayal, trust and hope.

x-x-x-x-x

**Previously, on Heart of Melting Blood: Legend of the Moonlight…**

"_No, stop it!" Dizzy ran to the scene and stood between the two warriors. "Stop this at once! He can't continue this fight anymore!"_

"_Step back, I said," Sol demanded._

"_NO! If you're going to kill him, then do it on me as well!" she replied._

_Sol growled at the demand. "Dizzy, don't make me do this. I don't want to hurt you, so step back."_

"_Never!" And here Dizzy glowered at Sol with the eyes of a human woman. Sol exchanged his sight with her, and groaned in both anger and amazement at the determination she showed. "I will not allow anyone to hurt him! Not even you or Ky!"_

"_It's alright." Dizzy was startled when she felt arms wrapping about her shoulders. "It's alright, Dizzy. It's over now. Sol won't need to do it and I won't need to fight him either," she heard Alex weakly whispering._

_Tightly she held the charred arms and buried her face beneath it. "But Alex, they hurt you…" she whined. "Sol hurt you and Ky hurt you too…" She, then, leaned against the firm figure of the knight and went into tears. "You don't know how hurt my heart was to see you like this… you just don't know…"_

_The fallen soldier, instead, chuckled and pulled the woman into a warm embrace. "I'm sorry, Dizzy," he whispered and brushed his lips on her supple cheek. "I didn't mean to hurt your heart… I'm sorry…"_

_Sol could only sigh in relief and lowered the Fireseal when he saw a shadowy figure standing behind Alex with a sword lifted erect. "Kid, behind you!"_

_x-x_

_Wolves were heard howling at the forest nearby. It was a long, heartbreaking and unbearable howl, and it was echoing through each and every corner of the street. It was as if the wolves sensed a catastrophe falling upon their kin, and before long the howls were heard all over the town._

_She gasped. The glass she was holding dropped to the floor and shattered upon impact. "What… happens?" Sion whimpered and put a hand on her chest. She felt her heart thumping in unusual speed and she felt as if there was a disaster happening outside the mansion. _

"_Sion, what's wrong?" along came Ciel's voice as she walked into the kitchen. The alchemist turned around, and the Vatican agent gasped at what she saw. "Sion, you're crying!"_

"_I… I what?" Sion put her hand on her cheek and felt hot stream of tears flowing freely from her eyes. She was tongue-shackled, aghast at the spontaneous reaction she was having. It was only after seconds of silent that she realized what had happened. "No… it cannot be…"_

x-x-x-x-x

**Chapter 21  
Untitled**

Silence. No breath was audible, neither did spoken words. The alley was disturbingly quiet, as the trio of Justine, Rheo and Athena, Dizzy and Hotaru, Rock and Sol waited outside the operation room. They had been impatient and worried since Alex and Ky were admitted immediately after the battle ended. Neither of them knew what would become of the two knights, and neither of them wanted to know what was taking place beyond the surgery room's door.

Dizzy, in particular, was the most anxious. She wasn't worried of Ky, and she wasn't worried of her injured midsection, either; it was Alex's condition that made her feel agonized. Already she knew that his eyes were still yet to recover, and yet the lone wolf ignored her worry and chose to fight Sol and Ky. Already she realized the dire consequence if the battle was to prolong. She was angry; angry at Sol for purposely hurting him with Baptism by Fire; angry at Ky for not understanding the truth; angry at Alex for making her cry. Even the melancholic tunes of "Untitled" that faintly echoed from the hospital's speakers added her unease more than she could imagine.

The "OPERATION" light went off. Immediately the people rushed to the surgery room and met Faust who came out of the room. From the unusual icon displayed on his paper bag, it was clear that he had faced a tough operation.

"How is he, doctor?" Dizzy asked.

Faust sighed and scratched his head. "Let's see… 20 broken ribs, fractured cranium, ruptured hipbone, internal bleeding in his lungs, damaged heart, one disabled kidney, and permanently injured eyes. I don't want to announce this, everyone," the doctor spoke, "but Mister Hahn has an extremely slim chance of living. About 1, if my calculation is correct."

Dizzy felt her knees weakened. Unable to accept the news, she fell to the ground and broke into the most agonizing cry she ever had. "No…! He can't die…! He can't die!..." she whined, even as Hotaru comforted her in an embrace.

"Then what about Ky?" Sol asked.

"He needs to have a bypass operation on his heart," Faust spoke and rushed to another operation room, "that's what I'm going to do after this."

The group was left. Dizzy was still crying in Hotaru's arms, and Rock was leaning against the wall not far from the group, probably thinking of Ky's fate. Neither Justine, nor Athena was saying anything, and they were looking at Sol, expecting him to say a word. Rheo, on the other hand, acted as if there was nothing to concern of as he was occupied with a copy of The Return of the King novel he brought along. And so did Kagura, who was busy listening to her Walkman.

"Let's go out, Dizzy-_chan_," Hotaru suggested. "We should take a walk right now. When it's okay to visit Alex-_san_, we'll do so. Okay?" The Gear woman just nodded and followed Hotaru to the lift, heading out of the hospital. Rock followed the two girls and left the rest of the group outside the operation room.

"So, Sol-_chan_," Justine started the conversation. "Can you tell us what was exactly going on?"

"Yeah, tell us why you fought Alex-_kun_," Athena demanded and put her hands on her hips as a sign of emphasis.

Sol grumbled and lifted the Fireseal he put against the wall. "Before anything goes wrong, I suggest us to talk outside," he suggested, even though his voice sounded unpleasant.

"Oh. Alright then." Justine pulled Rheo's arms and immediately headed to the lift, while Athena approached Kagura and told her to go out with her. Sol watched as the four people disappeared from his sight and shook his head before followed their lead.

The group went to the nearby park and rested. After a period of an uncertain silence, Athena broke it with a concerned cough. "Alright, Mister Badguy," she interjected with a look of disapproval in her eyes, "would you mind if you can explain everything to us?"

"Don't tell me you want me to speak of that kid," Sol grumbled.

"Come on!" she replied. "For the one who has fought many Gears and dealt with knights, you must have a thing or twos about him."

The Guilty Gear shook his head for the second time and took a sip of a Dunhill, lazily leaning against the bench as he did. "Look, I don't care of what happens to him or his fate even if he does survive post-operation. But…"

"But?" both Athena and Justine voiced.

"But I'm concerned whether he can accept the fact that he's diluted by his sense of guilt," he continued. "He was still young when he faced the tragedy. And yet… no one was there to help him; he was, instead, condemned and blamed for a crime he didn't even commit. And these happened right before my eyes."

"Sol-_chan_, you sound sad," Justine spoke. "What happened to you… and Alex-_kun_ on that time? Please tell us."

"_Ne_, Sol-_kun_," Kagura called him, "should I ask Dizzy-_chan_ to come and listen to your story?"

Sol sighed and put down the cigarette. "No, at least at this time. I don't want her to hear the truth she doesn't want to accept until she's ready to face it." The girl just nodded and took a seat beside him, whereas Justine and Athena stood next to him, and the three girls were now waiting him to begin his story.

x-x-x-x-x

Sol was lazily strolling down the grassy path that led him to a grazing field. Today, he was on his usual solo mission, away from the fuss of the Holy Orders highest officers, and away from the annoying Ky and his typical preaches. His Holy Knight uniform was flapping freely to the rhythm of the wind that blew across the barren land that was once Japan, and the sword he carried was holstered on his shoulder.

He reached the grazing field he was heading to, and the scene that greeted him was not pleasant. Alexander, the newly appointed knight, was surrounded by a group of knights after what seemed to be a successful mission in eradicating Gear soldiers and from the atmosphere Sol felt, something wrong was going on.

"For God's sake!" he heard Alex shouting. "Why are you attacking me? I'm your comrade!"

"Silence, Alexander!" one of the knights demanded. "We found you guilty of breaching the teachings of the Orders by signing a pact with the Gears. Do you think we have no idea of such a disgraceful activity you have done?"

"What are you talking about? I didn't remember doing anything like that!" Alex replied and was attacked from the behind. He was knocked toward the knight and was punched on the face.

Sol was irked to see the unpleasant treatment the senior knights gave to the newcomer. "Why would they accuse him of that?" he pondered and lowered the sword.

"You have proven yourself too sinful for God to put His mercy upon you," the knight from earlier said and pointed his sword at Alex's face. "Neither heaven nor hell can accept you and your corrupted heart. For that, allow us to cleanse you."

Sol almost jumped in and interfered with the unjust punishment the knights were going to put upon the injured young knight, until he heard a scream of anger. He looked at Alex, and was surprised. "What the hell is he doing?" Before his very eyes, the young knight beheaded the knight and went to a killing spree, screaming in bloodlust as he did. He did nothing –and could not-- stop him from his hunger for massacre, and watched at the dreadful scene from the hilltop. The killing spree ended after several minutes, and Sol saw him crying out in agony before collapsed onto the ground. He walked down the hill and approached the killing zone when his gut sensed the alarming presence of a Gear. He hastened and took shelter behind a tree and peeked at the area.

And he was astounded.

A woman in shrine maiden uniform was approaching the unconscious lone wolf, closely accompanied by several figures distinguishable to Sol's eyes as Gears. The Holy Knight closely kept an eye on them, and blinked in surprise when the woman approached Alex and did something to him. "What is she doing?" he thought.

Surprise came upon him again when the woman ordered the Gear minions to carry Alex and headed to a portal not far from the killing zone. "Are they going to take him away from here and kill him?" Sol immediately jumped out of the hiding place and rushed toward the Gears. "STOP! Where are you taking him?"

The woman turned around and stared at him. "Sir knight, please, lower your weapon," she spoke, "we aren't the type you frequently deal with."

"You didn't answer my question, woman!" Sol demanded.

She, instead, smiled and waved her palm at him. A faint golden yellow energy wave appeared from her hand and surrounded him, disabling him of any movement. He was stuck and could not move, even after he executed Dragon Install. "Damn it! What the hell is this?"

The woman turned back to the portal. "Sir knight, this person needs my attention," she told him. "I'm taking him to the place where I can treat his injuries."

"And then kill him," Sol roared and finally managed to get away from the binding energy wave. "You know that kid's a knight, so you decide to bring him to a place where you can punish him. Release him to me, and I'll let you go."

She giggled. "Oh, no. Obeying you would be an impossible task for us," she answered. "Please, our intention isn't to do him any harm."

"Then you must eat this!" With that said Sol tossed a gigantic Tyrant Rave at the woman and the Gears. To his absolute surprise, she effortlessly deflected the fireball and sent it back at him. "Curse!" Sol counterattacked the projectile and jumped out of its explosion range, before he saw the group leaving the area. "Wait! Who the hell are you?"

The woman gave him a smile he thought was assuring. "My name is Hikaru," she introduced herself and bowed to him. "Until we meet again, sir knight."

"_That woman, Hikaru, and the Gears left the area with Alex. I couldn't believe a human would sign a pact with Gears and went as far as capturing a knight. But my prejudice was proven wrong."_

"_How come? What happened next?"_

"_I heard an unofficial report of a group of non-fighting Gears that was found doing their activities around the area. I didn't know whether the report was a bullshit or not, but I had the feeling that the group I had met at the battlefield must be those mentioned in the report."_

"_Then?"_

"_Then I decided to meet Hikaru for the second time, and ask her of her true intention of taking Alex to her territory."_

"_Did you meet him, Sol-chan?"_

"_I did –or rather, she met me first. There was something about the woman that kept me wondering even today…"_

Sol was out again. This time, he was neither on a mission, nor did he was running away from the confusion at the Holy Orders headquarters at Paris, as knights and officers were appalled at the news of the incident. And again, he was strolling at the barren land of Japan, and he wasn't sure of why he chose such a place as his destination. The thought of the woman and the Gears 'capturing' Alexander still remained fresh in his memory, and he was to seek for an answer that could satisfy his curiosity.

He halted. He thought his ears were deceiving, until he heard a faint sound of a flute being played. He looked around the grassland and saw someone sitting on a boulder, playing music from the flute. He approached the person, and was surprised to know that it was the woman he had met before.

She noticed his arrival and put down the flute. "Oh, hello, sir knight. I was expecting you to come here," she spoke.

"How did you know that I'd arrive, Hikaru?" he demanded in a surprised intonation.

"Because both of us are similar, and both of us share the same element," Hikaru answered. "I felt the element inside of me resonating wildly, and on that moment I knew someone who had the element would be coming here."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

Hikaru stared at him, and sweetly giggled. "Nothing. But I thought if I tell you the answer, you might do something unpredictable. Like, killing me?" she suggested.

Sol squinted. "Don't tell me you're a…"

The woman giggled again and jumped away from the boulder. He had a close inspection upon her, and failed to recognize any sign that indicated her Gear form. She was very much similar to the Japanese girl one would find in a colony, from the attires to her personality. She was more of a human than a Gear, Sol thought.

"Like I had said earlier, both of us are similar and share the same element," she spoke as she approached him, "but we are different. You have the strength and will to fight, while I don't. And neither the Gears you saw that time had the force of yours."

"You're telling me a lie, Hikaru," Sol insisted. "Then how come you could deflect Tyrant Rave and sent it back at me? There's no point of being not a fighting type when you can defend yourself."

"Not all creatures are created with same purpose, and even if they do, eventually they'll possess variations," calmly she spoke. "Even Gears aren't entirely made for terrorizing and destroying the earth. You should realize the fact."

Sol lost his patience and pointed the sword at her face. "Prove me that you're telling me the truth, before this sword finds its way to shove your pretty face," he interjected.

"As you wish, sir knight." The woman waved her hand in a circular motion and created a light shield from the movement. "Now, sir knight, do me a favour and attack me with everything you have."

"You're asking for trouble, Hikaru." With that said Sol emitted a loud roar that echoed across the land, and seconds later he was in his Dragon Install. He lifted the sword and fired a monstrous Tyrant Rave at the woman. The projectile the size of a two-storey house failed to reach her as the light shield reacted to it and deflected it to the open sky. Sol wasn't deterred and attacked her from all directions, yet wherever he appeared the light shield was there to prevent him from hurting its master. Hikaru did nothing but to watch at his effort that seemed endless.

Sol stepped backward. "Your shield is doing damn good, but can it block this?" he insisted and charged at her in a rushing tackle, determined to finish the unwanted duel with Instant Kill. Like expected the light shield jumped forward and faced the fiery tackle.

"BAPTISM BY FIRE!"

The Instant Kill collided with the shield, and exploded with such force that the grassland was incinerated by a wave of fire. Yet neither the shield, nor Hikaru, bulged from its place despite Sol's attempt to break its defence.

And it ended. The inferno dissipated, and the two people were now standing in a middle of a scorched land. The Holy Knight was staring at the woman for a very long time before he laughed and plunged the sword into the ground. "I see. Your power is purely for defensive purpose. Now I understand; you're a commander Gear, but you refuse to use your power for anything other than to defend yourself," he spoke.

"But you miss something more important, sir knight," Hikaru spoke. "Unlike our cousins, we despise violence and prefer to live with human. It will not, and will never, do both of us any good because sooner or later we will lose this precious land. That's what I told the young knight at our sanctuary."

"Alexander…" he murmured the name. "That kid… what happened to him?"

She giggled. "He's alright, sir knight, and he's doing all fine. Although you don't want to know, he's very fond of children and we often see him sitting together with them and telling them stories. Do you know him, sir knight?"

"Yeah, a lot," lazily he answered. "And he wasn't supposed to be knight, as I had heard from Ky, because he was…"

"An assassin? Yes, he told me of that, too," she spoke. "And he told me everything about who he was, and why he had to become one. He did it for the sake of his beloved little sister." Then she frowned and deeply took her breath, and continued her speech. "I guess that's why he had promised us."

"He did?"

Hikaru nodded. "He promised us that he would protect us from the knights, and he doesn't care if he has to… betray his own kind for us. Poor Alex; being forced to abandon his sister, and betrayed by people he thought he could trust on… I wonder whether there's something I can do for him…" She gasped. "Oh, my, I'm almost late. Please forgive me, sir knight, but I must go. It's dinner time, and my people are going to have a festival after that." She summoned a portal and approached it. "Oh, yes. Sir, knight, I forgot to ask your name."

"Sol," he told her, "Sol Badguy."

"Sol Badguy… that name sounds ironic for a knight who would spare someone like me," she said and bowed to him. "I don't expect both of us to meet after this, but if our path does cross in the future, I'm looking forward to share all of my experience with my people and Alex." She entered the portal and almost left the place when Sol called her. "Yes, Sir Badguy? Is there something the matter?"

Sol chuckled. "Nothing, but I believe that you can help that kid in overcoming his weakness," he said. "He needs someone like you to trust him, and without that he's helpless."

Hikaru was saying nothing for a very long time, before she giggled and nodded. "I will. And thanks for spending time with me. I realized it's a risk to talk with a knight, with it's a very rare opportunity to meet and know someone like you. Until we meet again, Sir Badguy."

"_She left me again, and I didn't even have the chance to ask her of her creator. But I was satisfied, because she had told me everything I needed to know about her and Alex."_

"_Then you didn't meet her again after that, Sol-chan?"_

"_Although she was looking forward for similar encounter, I preferred to stay away from her… or any Gears. I simply couldn't tolerate their existence."_

"_Oh, okay."_

"_Until that day."_

"_Until that day, Sol-kun?"_

It had been months since then incident at the former Japanese territory took place, and it had been months since Sol met Hikaru. The news of Alex's alleged betrayal to the Holy Orders cooled down, although knights and officers still accused the knight to abandon the righteous teaching of the Orders. Sol didn't want anything to do with it, and he didn't want to do anything with their useless matters.

Again, the Holy Knight was strolling down the land, now flourished with new grasses and shrubs. He had nothing to do back at the headquarters, nor did he plan to hunt for Gears. He was simply wasting his time around the area, and he aimlessly followed his feet that led him to nowhere.

Or somewhere.

He halted. A very faint, yet foul, smell of blood and flesh caught his attention. He stopped walking and searched for the source of the stench. It was coming from over a mountain range, and he rushed to the area. Somehow, his heart felt something terrible had happened beyond the mountains, and he wanted to verify his suspicion.

He was stunned. For the first time, he was greeted with scenery that was so unbelievable he thought he was dreaming. As far as an eye could see, bodies of Holy Knights were scattered across the unknown land, mixed with remains of Gears. His suspicion was right; it was the most terrible situation he ever faced. To make matters more appalling, he recognized the Gears as the non-fighting type Hikaru had told him.

That's it! Where is she?

He ran down the mountain and searched for any sight of the woman. It was a maddening task, as he had to walk across countless corpses and endure the irritating smell of rotten flesh. Yet he made it, and he found her lying on a marble pavement, her body struck by arrows.

"Hikaru!" He approached the woman and knelt beside her, pulling the arrows from her body as he did. "Hey, Hikaru! Wake up! What's going on here?"

The woman moaned and weakly opened her eyes. "Sir Badguy…" her voice trembled in pain.

"What happened here? Why there are bodies everywhere?" Sol demanded.

"It's him…" she spoke in a deteriorating voice. "Alex… he did all of these…"

"He what?"

"He…" She coughed, and blood trickled down her swollen lips, yet she braved herself to speak. "He killed us… and killed the knights…"

"Bullshit! I thought he would defend you and your people!" he interjected.

"He did, but… it could not be helped…" she spoke. "It was… the only way to save us… from the angry knights… to save us he needed to kill us…"

"You fool!" Sol roared.

She turned away. "Yes, I know I was a fool…" Tears slipped free of her eyes of a sudden. "I know I was foolish to ask him to kill us… but I didn't regret the consequences, and neither did my people. We… we were grateful to be granted with a warrior who shamelessly offered his service for us… and we were happy to have him living with us. It was better than to let the knights continually harass and haunt us for the rest of our life… I'm sorry, Sir Badguy, but this is our choice. To die in the hands of the one we trusted and cared for was more… honourable than to live under the tyrant claws of the humans…"

Sol cursed. He never thought to meet a Gear more innocent and more sincere than Hikaru. Yet he knew the situation he had to face if he had been there earlier. "Damn it…! Why this must happen? Why must we meet like this! Why must that kid kill you when he knows you care of him so much! Why?"

"Please, sir…" she begged and reached for his face. "There's no use cursing over the past. It's over… everything is now over…"

He let the woman strange to him touch his cheek, and felt her heartbeat weakening. For the first time, he was agonized by the loss of the person he could regard as an enemy. An enemy too honest to be slain with his bare hand. "Where is he?"

"He ran away… to the place even I don't know where…"

He sighed. "It must've been a hard day for him…"

"Sir Badguy…" she called him again, even as her voice went frail. "Will you do me… one last favour?"

This time, he took her hand and held it tightly. "What is it, Hikaru?"

She giggled and held his hand in return. "Strange… it's like I've felt this kind of warmth before… but maybe I've forgotten who…"

"Tell me, Hikaru," said the Holy Knight. "Tell me of what do you want to say. You don't have much time."

"Sir Badguy, if you meet Alex… please tell him to stop dreaming…" she spoke. "He's dreamt of a happy life with us, and this has devastated his heart and hope too much. I get this feeling that he's going to avenge our death in the future."

She later inserted her hand into the sleeves of her shrine maiden uniform and took the flute. "And please give this to him if you ever meet him. I… I beg of you."

He was reluctant. He didn't like making promise, and yet this came from a woman who called herself a Gear. And he didn't like it even more, since it was for the young knight he didn't know of his whereabouts. "Whatever." He took the flute and put it in the sleeves of his Holy Orders uniform and looked back at her. "Since it's for your sake, I will. Though I can't promise you when."

It was only seconds after that he saw the wide, generous smile carved upon the face that to him would eternally be alive and beautiful. Somehow, Sol smiled too. Seeing her innocent face in such an image was a calming effect for him –and also annoying. "Hey, don't make that kind of face at me, okay? You'll make me mad, you know?"

Her smile widened. "I'm sorry, Sir Badguy, and thank you. Farewell…"

Her hand ran across his face one last time before it dropped to the ground, never to rise again. She slowly closed her eyes, never to open ever more. Her internal system came to a permanent halt, a halt that would never be recovered even with the latest of technology. He felt and heard her heart slow to a halt, then quit completely.

"Damn… just damn it!"

x-x-x-x-x

"Soon, she died. I was left with a task to properly bury her and the rest of the people. After that, I set up to look for Alex and it would take me another ten years to finally find him."

"Poor Alex-_kun_. Why he was forced to kill the people?"

"I don't know, Justine."

"Then… he's been hunting and killing the knights and fought Ky-_chan_ because he believed he must avenge the Gears' death. But why it had to take 10 years to finally end it for good, Sol-_chan_? What were you doing along that time?"

Silence. Sol was not saying anything after that, and sipped the last of the Dunhill he was holding. Justine and Athena were waiting for his answer, yet he ignored them and continued inhaling the cigarette. "_Mou_, Sol! Why aren't you answering?" Athena interjected in an annoyed voice.

Sol shrugged and tossed the cigarette butt to the ground. "I thought I'm done already," he answered.

"But you didn't tell us why Dizzy-_chan_ was acting like that back there," Justine insisted. "Now tell us before…" Just then her mobile phone rang, in the distinguishable ring tone of _Invoke_. She picked up the phone and answered the call, and during that time her eyes sparkled. "Wolfie? My goodness! It's you! I didn't expect to receive a call from you! Oh, you want to look for Sol-_chan_? Hang on, he's here." She turned to Sol and handed over her phone. "It's Wolfie. He wants to talk with you."

"Just about damn time," he growled and took the phone. "Yeah, Sol here. Listen, Lone Wolf. I have a damn lot of things to talk right now, and right here. What? I don't want to have anything with it."

Justine stared at the Guilty Gear before she sighed. "I wonder what did the letter Wolfie gave to me mean," she spoke and frowned. "He told me I got something to do with Alex-_kun_ in the past, but I can't remember what."

"Justine?"

"If I indeed met Alex-_kun_, then I should have remembered something about him," she told the Greek girl who was staring at her in worry. Then she mumbled in dismay and shook her head. "But I can't! If only I could remember…"


	22. Chapter 22: Three Hearts United

**Heart of the Melting Blood  
Legend of the Moonlight  
Written and conceived by:** Lone Wolf NEO

Lone Wolf NEO does not own any of all the games or anime or manga featured in this story, but he owns the copyright to all his original ideas in this fiction. The author would really appreciate it if readers do not plagiaries everything inside this story without his knowledge.

**Chronological Note:** _Heart of the Melting Blood: Legend of the Moonlight_ takes place scarcely half a year after the event in _Heart of the Melting Blood RELOADED_, and currently runs roughly in parallel with _Guilty Gear: the World within and Without_ written and created by Sheo Darren. This time, the story will continue in a brand new arc, _Destiny Arc_, which takes place not long after the battle between the three knights of the Holy Orders in the Awe of She arc. The author will promise an ending to this tale of betrayal, trust and hope.

**Author's note:** songs mentioned in this chapter are Mizu to Akashi (Gundam SEED), Tears of Heaven and the ending theme of Fatal Fury OVA the author doesn't remember what.

**Chapter 22  
Three Hearts United**

"_Dizzy-chan, I'm going to buy something. Do you want anything to eat?"_

"_No… no, for now. I'm not hungry."_

"_Please, Dizzy-chan. I know you're worried about Alex-san, but don't force yourself like this. Look at you; what will he say when he sees you like this?"_

"… _I don't care of what happens to me… please, Hotaru-chan, leave me with him…"_

"_Sigh… I wish I could understand your feeling toward him. Whatever; I'll stay at the outside. Let me know if you need anything, ne?"_

"_Okay. Thanks, Hotaru-chan."_

x-x

She was alone. The Gear woman was alone inside the room, and she sat next to Alex. The calm, sleeping face of the assassin knight was stared at, and she felt terribly lonely. Lonely in its fullest sense. The silence of night outside the hospital was the only thing that accompanied her uncertain heart. Even that still couldn't satisfy her need.

Hopelessly she took hold of his hand. And hopelessly she wished to see him awake. "Alex, don't die…" Dizzy whispered. "There are still… things I need to tell you…" Then slowly she put his hand over his chest and softly patted it. "Say, Alex. I remember the day you asked me to sing a lullaby. Would it be alright if…" To her surprise, the hand unconsciously clenched her palm, as if asking her to do it. She could only smile at the response and lightly rubbed it. "I… I don't know whether I can still sing… it's been a very long time since you taught me how. But… I'll try my best."

With that said she took her breath, and it started. With the voice of a pink-haired female Coordinator, and the heart of a certain goddess of the Present, she sang. Before long her voice was heard echoing through every corner of the hospital, and subsequently, and strangely, the night turned serene. Wind stopped blowing, crickets no longer chirped, water flow slowed down; it was as if the night itself fell to the pure voice of the heaven.

_Mizu no naka ni yoru ga yureteru  
Kanashii hodo shizuka ni tatazumu  
Midorinasu kishibe…  
Utsukushii yoake wo  
Tada matte iraretara  
Kirei na kokoro de…_

_Kurai umi to sora no mukou ni  
Arasoi no nai basho ga aruno to  
Osiete kureta no wa dare  
Dare mo ga tadori tsukenai  
Soretomo dareka no kokoro no naka ni…_

x-x-x-x-x

"What is this strange feeling?" Sion pondered and put a hand over her throbbing heart. She looked around the room and suddenly something was evoked inside her mind; it was full moon, and Alex used to walk around in the middle of the night, with nothing to do but to follow his footsteps. And she, too, used to accompany him.

Slowly she approached the park fountain and gazed at the silver celestial object that hung over the horizon. She felt very lonely; so lonely that she thought it would be better if she could ask Shiki to be of accompany. Yet she couldn't; she realized how attached her heart to Alex was, and she knew it was impossible to let go of all memories she shared with the man she once called criminal.

x-x

"_Want to know what I do whenever it's full moon, Sion?"_

"_Walk outside and do nothing but to admire the moon?"_

"_No, not that one. The other one. Try guessing it. If you got it correct, I'll treat you with ice-cream."_

"_Aw, please. You always ask me to guess. Why don't you tell me right away?"_

"_Alright, Sion. This is what I always do at this time."_

"_Okay, I'm listening."_

"_Ahem…okay, I'm done. How was it?"_

"…_you sing?"_

"_Yeah, that's it. What's wrong? Do you find it… weird?"_

"_No, Alex, but you have a lovely voice. I feel like…"_

"_Then why don't we sing along? That would be more fun to do."_

x-x

She chuckled. "Alex, you silly." She took a deep breath, put a hand over her chest and began her hum. And like someone across the globe, her crystal-clear voice now echoed through the sky.

_Would you know my name, if I saw you in heaven?  
Will it be the same, if I saw you in heaven?  
I must be strong, and carry on  
Cause I know I don't belong  
Here in heaven…_

_Would you hold my hand, if I saw you in heaven?  
Would you help me stand, if I saw you in heaven?  
I'll find my way, through night and day  
Cause I know I just can't stay  
Here in heaven…_

"Sion!" She turned around, and was subsequently tackled with such force she was thrown to the ground. "Sion! Where have you been? I was looking for you!"

"Sat…Satsuki? What's the matter?"

The pigtailed high school girl, roughly around her 17, was clinging onto her whilst Sion tried to stand up. "Don't make me worried, okay? I know you don't want Alex-_kun_ getting hurt, but that doesn't mean you have to harm yourself!"

"What's wrong with you? I'm alright, you don't have to worry about me," she told her.

Satsuki frowned. "But Shiki-_kun_ told me… that you and Alex-_kun_…" Then she quickly lifted her head, gazing at Sion with an eye full of curiosity. "Anyway, what are you doing in the middle of the night? You're not supposed to be here."

Sion smiled and gave Satsuki a soft pat on her shoulders. "I'm just walking around."

"But didn't you hear the news? They said a mad scientist escaped from prison and is going to terrorize all cities," Satsuki said. "Come, we should go back to Shiki-_kun's_ house."

"Now, now, Satsuki, why don't we…"

Someone was eavesdropping. Sion pushed Satsuki away and quickly withdrew her weapon. "Who's there?" Nothing, and she shouted for the second time. Again, there was nothing, and she waited until she heard a rustling sound from nearby bushes. She locked and loaded the handgun, and held fire.

And she was surprised. "Lia?"

"Lower your weapon. I didn't come here with an intention to provoke hostilities between us," the _miko_ girl spoke.

Sion did what she was told, though her hand was ready to pull out a whip. "What has brought you here this time? You must know that…"

"I must apology for interrupting your privacy, and I'm sorry for what I had done to you at the summer holiday," Lia spoke.

Satsuki blinked many times and looked back and forth between Sion and the maiden girl. "Hey, who are you anyway?" she shouted at Lia.

This time, Sion was touched. "Why are you suddenly being nice toward me, Lia? You slapped me, you insulted me, and you accused me of being a thief, so why?"

"I come with news regarding my brother Alex," said the _miko_ girl. "My agents have informed me of where we can find him."

"_We_?" Sion interjected. "You're telling me that we both now have right to worry about him?"

She nodded. "And we believe we can find him if we can go to Paris, because he was last seen there. And if we aren't quick…" Lia frowned, clenching the lower cloth of her shrine maiden outfit. "If we're not quick, then brother will be under threat of the Dragoon Society."

"What's going on? What do you mean by…"

"I fear the worst has come, my ladies," along came Logan's voice as he walked out of another patch of bushes. "My apology for being an eavesdropper, but we don't have much time. Let's go."

"Where to?" Sion asked, even as the axe warrior walked away from the fountain and headed to a waiting heli-craft at the road junction.

"I'll explain on our way."

x-x-x-x-x

Dizzy stopped singing. She felt relaxed for the song was a calming effect for her heart, and she needed it. She turned to Alex, bent over his head, and placed a soft brush on his forehead. "This is the best I can do for being a company, Alex," she whispered. She felt his hand tightened over hers, and pulled it toward his face. She was startled, and was surprised even more when he brought her hand over her heart and put it there. "Were you… were you listening to me, Alex?" He said nothing, but from the unconscious hand gesture she knew he did.

She put his hand on the bed and walked away from the bed. "Please excuse me, Alex, but I'll be with you later. There's something I want to do outside first," she told him. She left the room and headed to the park, where she sat on a bench not far from the park fountain. She held her breath, sighed and continued the song.

_Mizu no nagare wo shizumete  
Kureru daichi wo uruosu shirabe  
Ima wa doko nimo nakutemo  
Kitto jibun de te ni ireruno  
Itsumo, itsuka, kitto_

_Mizu no akashi wo kono te ni  
Subete no honoo wo nomikonde nao  
Hiroku yasashiku nagareru  
Sono shizukesa ni tadoritsuku no  
Itsumo, itsuka, kitto  
Anata no te wo tori..._

She stopped singing the song. "I wish Alex was here to listen…" she whispered and clasped her palms. She went to a deep prayer, murmured in slow voices, and bent on her knees.

She gasped. Someone was holding her hand, and she lifted her head to see who it was. "Sol? What are you doing here?"

The Guilty Gear, instead, lowered the clenched palms and sat beside her. "Don't worry about that kid, Dizzy," he said and sipped the Marlboro he was holding between his fingers.

"But Sol, what if he…" she said and frowned, "… didn't make it?"

Sol sighed and corrected his seat. He was about to give out the answer when a loud noise of an engine echoed around the vicinity. He looked upward and saw a dully painted heli-craft slowly approaching the ground and opened its cargo door, where several personnel dropped from inside it before the vehicle left in blinding speed. Both he and Dizzy watched at the group as they approached their place, and Sol lifted the Fireseal in defensive motion when Dizzy asked him to hold back.

"Let me talk with them. I think I know who they are." She approached the group with intention to negotiate with them. It turned that she didn't need to, as she immediately recognized one of them. "Sion?"

The owner of the name was equally surprised. "Dizzy? What are you doing here?"

"I should be asking that," Dizzy replied. "What are you doing here?"

Just then Lia stepped forward and approached the married woman. "We come here in fear of Alexander's safety. There's rumour that judges from the Dragoon Society will raid this place and execute him. Unless we act fast…"

"To make long story short," Logan interfered, "Alex will be killed tonight."

Dizzy gasped. "No…! That's impossible! How can…"

"Listen, whoever you are," Sol spoke and stepped forward, "I don't care of who you are or who's going to threaten him, but that kid isn't in a good shape. He's in hospital right now; visit him if you must."

"Who are you?" Lia demanded. "What do you know about my brother?"

"Me? Someone who owed that kid a lot of things," he told her and tossed the cigarette butt to the ground. "Listen. That kid needs our help. He's in a very critical situation right now."

"What are you trying to tell us?" Lia demanded.

Sol shrugged. "What do you expect from a man who had fought him and forced him to be taken to hospital? Reward or something?"

Hearing that the maiden girl burst in anger and withdrew her lance, pointing it at his face. "You hurt him! How dare you hurting him! What have you done to him?"

This was answered with a fist full of flames, and the girl stepped backward in intimidation. "Look, girl. I don't know what business you have with that kid, but I'm not in any mood for argument. So stop trying to blame me before I change my mind," he warned.

Lia fell to her knees. "But… but you said you fought him… you said you fought my brother!"

The Corrupted Flame snorted and put out the fire. "Yeah, that was me. I tell you what, girl. That kid broke his promise, and he looked for trouble with me by making her cry," and he pointed to Dizzy to emphasize his answer. "I almost got the chance to tell him not to continue his fight, but he's damn stubborn to listen to anything."

"How could you!" Lia cried and broke into tears. "How could you do such a thing? You have no right to hurt him!"

"Yeah, so what? After ten years in pain, agony, lost hope, despair and solitude, do you expect to see him accepting the fact that he's just dreaming? Do you?" The girl lifted her head and stared at him in eyes full of crystal-clear water. "Damn it. That kid gave me that kind of look, and now it's you. Don't tell me both of you are very stubborn."

"Sol, stop it," Dizzy pleaded. "You'll only make things even worse. Please, don't talk about him anymore."

Sol turned his attention to Dizzy. "And as for you, Dizzy, I have unpleasant news for you. Lone Wolf NEO phoned me and told me of your affair with that kid and their arrival," and he pointed to Lia and Sion. "I've done my part with that kid. It's up to you and them to finish what I left."

"What… what do you mean?" Sion asked.

"That kid," Sol spoke, opting not to address Alex with his name, "is on the verge of losing his life and everything. Unless the three of you agree to put your argument aside and help him, there's no chance for you to see him again."

"You mean… he's going to…?" Sion immediately rushed to the hospital before Sol could give her the answer. Logan was the next person to leave, followed by Satsuki, and the Corrupted Flame was left with Dizzy and Lia.

"What about you?"

"I think I'll let Sion look after him," Dizzy told him and knelt beside the maiden girl. "For now, I must accompany her until she feels comfortable."

Sol shrugged and headed toward the middle of the park. "Do whatever you want. I have nothing to do with that kid anymore."

"Sol," the Gear woman called him. "I heard what you had told Justine and Athena about Alex." She was not looking at him, but from the calm intonation of the voice Sol was guessing that she had begun to accept the fact. "Thank you for making everything clear. I… now I understand the truth. Thank you, Sol."

"Huh, whatever…"

Dizzy turned her attention to the young girl. She was about to give her a couple of words when Lia sprung at her and pulled the Gear woman into a tight embrace. "I don't want to lose him! I don't want brother to die!"

"Why? Why don't you want to lose him?" Dizzy asked.

Helplessly Lia clung onto her, even as the Gear woman soothed her with a soft rub on her back. "Because I love him…"

Dizzy chuckled to hear the answer and cuddled the young girl. "That's so sweet of you. I didn't know Alex has a caring sister."

Lia buried herself in the woman's warm embrace further. "Please… don't tell me you like my brother. I… I'm the kind of person who doesn't want to see anyone trying to get close to him…"

"Aw, you're such a sweet girl," Dizzy said and softly kissed the girl's scalp. "You know what? Both of us seem to care of him very much. I'm sure Sion will say the same if she was here."

"Please, I don't want to hear anything about her…" Lia begged and clenched her hand on Dizzy's attire. "I… I don't want her or anyone… to love him…"

"Why not?"

"Because…" and here the young girl hid her flushed face beneath the clothes, "because I'm the only one who can do that to him…"

"Oh, dear," the Gear woman chuckled. "You sound like you have a brother complex. Alex's going to have problems taking care of his possessive little sister."

"I'm not…!" Lia squealed in denial and beat her several times. "I love him because I'm his sister! There's nothing wrong to a girl to love her brother! And who are you to talk about him?"

"Someone who admires him and adores his selflessness," replied the woman and pulled Lia into the tightest, warmest embrace she could muster. "It's a one-sided love, I know, but I don't regret it if he already has someone in his heart. I'll be more than grateful if I can see him being happy with the one he loves the most."

Lia stopped pounding her and began to rest in the woman's maternal arms. "Do you… think so?"

"Of course I do, because both of us love him, don't we?" she replied and hummed a lullaby into the girl's ears, cuddling her in the way a mother would do to her precious child. "What's your name?"

"Lia, Illiya Hahn."

"Pleased to meet you, Lia. My name is Dizzy," she introduced herself. "So, do you want to hear a story about Alex?"

"Please do. I… I want to listen to everything about him. Dizzy…"

She looked at the girl. "Yes, Lia?" To her surprise, Lia fell asleep and was dozing peacefully in her arms. She stared at her face for a long time before she giggled and kissed her forehead. "You're lucky to have Alex as your brother, Lia."

x-x

From faraway, although not far from the garden, Justine, Athena and Hotaru watched at the two young women. "Oh, no. Looks like Hotaru-_chan_ has found a new rival," foxily Justine commented.

Hotaru snapped in embarrassment and demanded Justine to shut up. "What do you know about that girl!" she demanded.

"Aw, you're getting jealous already. Why?" Athena interjected. "I know! That girl is sleeping in Dizzy-_chan's_ arms and she doesn't realize that you and Dizzy-_chan_ are couples!" she added and waved her arms to the air. "Hotaru-_chan, banza_i! Dizzy_-chan, banzai_! Whoever that girl is, _banzai_!"

"_Banzai! Banzai!" _Justine cheered.

"Do not talk about _shoujo-ai _again!" along came the voice of the scandalized knight Ky. The three women looked at the fully bandaged and wheel-chaired Ky, and the way they were staring at him caused Ky to roar in anger and pointed Thunderseal at them. "Stop staring at me like that!"

"How long is Ky-_chan_ supposed to be hospitalized?" Justine asked.

"About six months, I think," Athena suggested.

"Then why does he already leave the ICU?" Hotaru interjected.

Ky lost his temper and almost fired a Rising Force when a Piko-piko hammer smacked him flat on his head. The Scandalous One yelled in pain and fainted, while Faust excused himself and brought his patient back to the ward. "This patient needs to have his brain triple-checked, and I shall have that task accomplished," the doctor announced.

"…" Justine wasn't saying anything.

"……" so did Athena.

"………" as well as Hotaru.

"Okay, I think that should explain Ky-_chan_ being out of character," Justine uttered.

Athena and Hotaru nodded. "Sort of."

x-x-x-x-x

"How is he, doctor?"

Faust just shook his head. "He hasn't woke up yet, Miss Sion. with I'm afraid it'd take a couple more weeks," the doctor said. "Although I've received list of donors, he will have to wait for another month before he's ready for transplant surgery."

"Please, doctor, isn't there anyway to…"

"Unless if miracle comes upon us. I'm sorry, but I'll try my best to save him."

Sion frowned. "It's alright, doctor. I… I understand," she spoke and stared at Alex. "Doctor, I'd like to be left alone with him. I… I want to look after him until he wakes up."

Faust nodded and walked toward the door. "Call me if you need anything, okay?" he reminded.

The doctor left the room. Sion watched at him for a while before sighed and turned to Alex. "I didn't expect to meet him like this…" she spoke and held his hands. "What happened to you, Alex? Who did this, and why?"

"_Ne_, what really happen to him? Why is he like this?" Satsuki asked.

"I don't know, Satsuki, but it must have something to do with what Logan said," she answered.

"About the judges? Didn't they fight with Alex-_kun_ back there?" Sion didn't answer; she kept staring at Alex, ignoring Satsuki who got eager to know the answer. "Hey! What happened back there? I wasn't there because Shiki-_kun_ told me to stay back, and I want to know who the judges are."

"It's… it's a long story," Sion said.

"Then make it short, please?" Satsuki pleaded.

Sion, instead, stood up and went to the door. "Satsuki, will you look after Alex for me? I want to walk at the outside for a while," she told her.

"Hey, what about the judges? Aren't you going to tell me?" she answered, and here Sion answered with a silence sign. Satsuki gasped in surprise and quickly covered her mouth. "I'm sorry! I didn't know this is hospital," she mumbled.

"Please, will you?" the alchemist pleaded.

"Err… okay, I will," she answered. "What's wrong with you? At least Alex-_kun_ is alright."

"You don't know anything, Satsuki… you don't know."

She closed the door, remained still in front of it and became silence. She tried not to give in to her anger and clenched a very tight fist. "If anyone tries to kill him, they must step over my body first…!" She sighed, seemingly calmed down from her rage and headed to the hospital garden, wondering of what Dizzy and the maiden girl were doing.

"Hey, you're just in time," Logan greeted her.

"Logan, what is it?" she asked.

The axe warrior chuckled and pointed to a direction. "Look at them. Don't you think it's the loveliest scene ever?"

Sion watched at where Logan was pointing at, and was surprised. "That?"

"It's Lia's weakness," Logan said. "She can't resist the temptation of a mother's embrace, and I bet she needs it right now."

He was right. As Sion noticed, Lia was sleeping in Dizzy's arms, with the former singing lullaby to her ears, unaware that they were being watched. "Look at her," Logan added, "she can be very cold and heartless, but at time she's just a little girl. Nobody can apprehend her, and not even us judges can predict her behaviour."

"She's so harmless," Sion added.

"So harmless she is that you want to attack her right now," Logan spoke. "But face it. She's cruel, she's egoistic and she can be a merciless warrior, but she's a sweet girl. She just needs someone to understand her, just like Mrs. Dizzy."

She approached the two women and sat beside Dizzy. "Oh, hello Sion," Dizzy greeted, even as she kept patting Lia's scalp. "Is there anything you want from me?"

She shook her head. "No, I just want to sit with you, and with Lia," she told her.

"Oh, okay."

She turned her attention to Lia. "What do you think about her?"

"Oh? You mean Lia?" Dizzy replied. "She's lonely. She's a sweet girl and she's lovely, but she's lonely. She needs someone to look after."

"You don't know that she…"

"Alex? Oh, please, I already told her about him," the Gear woman chuckled. "I told her how lucky she is to have a caring brother like Alex. I also told her that both of us loved him, and…"

The alchemist gulped. "You… you love Alex, too?"

Dizzy turned back at her, and smiled so innocently Sion could not resist. "There's nothing wrong if I love him as an admirer, is it?"

She quickly shook her head in denial. "No, there's nothing wrong! But how long you've been… in love with him?"

"Longer than I can imagine," she answered and gazed at the starry night. "I met him when he lost everything from his heart. And before I knew it, I fell in love with him." Then she smiled and put a hand over her chest. "Want to know what did I think about him? He's strong, he's kind of strict and protective toward me, sometimes he doesn't like to talk much, but he's very kind. He even tells me of how he loves children and misses them. Oh, he even treats me with ice-cream a lot." She frowned afterwards and sighed. "It's… ironic to know that such a strong-willed knight has to endure years of sorrow… just because he couldn't protect his beloved ones anymore. I wonder if there's anything I can do for him…"

She gasped. Sion was holding her hand, and calmly holding her hand. "Looks like we share the same opinion toward him," she said and smiled.

Lia moaned, stirred in Dizzy's arms and opened her eyes. "Umm… did I fall asleep?"

Dizzy giggled and brushed soft lips upon her forehead. "Yes, dear. You did."

She rubbed her sleepy eyes and glanced at Sion. "Sion, I… I'm sorry."

Sion was astounded. "What? What are you sorry of?"

"It seems…" and she turned away from her, "that I'm not the only one who loves brother Alex… I was foolish enough to ignore the truth."

"What's wrong, dear?" Dizzy asked.

Lia turned back at her. "I heard what you said about brother Alex…" she sobbed and started crying. "I even heard of how he treats you with ice-cream… that's unfair! I want to have ice-cream, too…"

Dizzy chuckled and patted her scalp. "Then why don't we wait until Alex recovers? Then we can ask him to buy ice-cream for the three of us."

The maiden girl looked back and forth between the Gear woman and the female alchemist. "Us?"

Sion nodded and put an assuring hand upon hers. "Yes, us. And if Alex doesn't want to treat us, we can beat them together. Is that alright?"

This time, the mistress of the Dragoon Society broke into a blissful, if not sober, cry and she hurled herself at Sion. "Oh, Sion, I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! I promise I will not be selfish toward you or anyone else! I promise!" she cried. "Will you forgive me, Sion? Will you?"

"That will have to wait, Mistress Lia!" A loud explosion, as well as a frightening quake, shook across the area and shattered everything standing on their path. The three women jumped off their feet in surprise and watched at where the explosion came. Before they could figure out what was going on, a pair of mechanical limbs appeared from nowhere and seized Sion and Lia. Dizzy's quick reflexes gave her time to escape, and she jumped away from the interference.

"Who or what are you?" Dizzy shouted. It was answered by the crawling sound, and she was horrified to see a giant mechanical spider appearing from beneath the dusts, with limbs sprouting from its body.

"Mrs. Dizzy!" Logan rushed into the scene and headed toward her, but the spider saw it coming and snagged his body. He was brought above the mechanical crawler, next to Sion and Lia who were wrapped by limbs. "Damn it! I knew this would happen! Release us, Getter!"

"Hah! I, the great Doctor Getter, shall not listen to anyone!" the operator of the crawler shouted as he appeared on a platform prodding from the crawler's armoured back. "I think nobody conveys you of what Commander Valentino ordered to us back at our base."

"Dr. Getter! Why are you betraying us?" Lia shouted and cried in pain as the limb tightened its wrap around her body. "Release me! I order you to release me, Dr. Getter!"

Doctor Getter laughed and corrected his eyepiece. "I'm very sorry, my lady, but this comes directly from your uncle. He has foreseen this event in advance, so he sends me to capture you and your friends. Oh, this is not a betrayal. I'm still the great judge of the Dragoon Society."

"I said release me! I'm your mistress, Dr. Getter!" Lia screamed, and again cried in pain when the mechanical limb squeezed her body. "Let me go! Dr. Getter, let me go! Dizzy, help me!"

Just then, Satsuki and Sol arrived at the scene, along with Justine, Athena, Rock and Hotaru. "Hey! That's the mad scientist the late-night news has been talking about!" Satsuki shouted and pointed at him.

Doctor Getter screamed in anger and stomped on the crawler's back. "Fool! Nobody has ever called me mad scientist! I, Doctor Lens Getter, am the greatest and the most popular scientist in the world! Nobody ever underestimates my talent!"

"Hey, four-eyed baldies!" Justine shouted. "Let go off them right now! You don't know who you're dealing with!"

"You insult me! You dare insulting me!" Doctor Getter screamed and pointed at the group. "Metal Widow, get them!"

The mechanical spider roared and fired mechanical limbs at the group, trying to capture them in one go. Sol, Rock and Satsuki nimbly evaded the attacks, while Justine, Athena and Hotaru cried out in distress when the flexible arms tried to catch them.

"This is more like tentacles attack!" Athena yelled and fired a Psycho Ball at an oncoming limb.

"Tentacles! Eww, don't mention those things right now!" Justine replied.

"KYAA! Rock-_chan_, help!" Hotaru cried when a tentacle seized her body.

(Onboard the Death Star, Yuuki blinked many times when she saw the uncanny scene. "Okay, at least the villain has arrived, but why tentacle attacks? ADV gives me a freak," she demanded.

"You know, Miss Yuki, sometimes it takes more than being a bad people to do the bad thing," Lone Wolf NEO reminded.

The commander of the Death Star turned at the author. "Just what the hell are you doing here? Don't tell me, you're running away from Hibiki and Mriya."

Lone Wolf NEO coughed. "As always, Miss Yuuki. As always." He, then, gazed at the empty void of the space and sighed. "Looks like it's time."

Yuuki looked outside the cockpit windows and nodded, correcting her eyeglasses as she did. "Yes, it is.")

Doctor Getter let Metal Widow do his work and turned his attention to Dizzy. "Well, well, well, looks like my creations are very eager to have their supper tonight." She was intimidated by the threat and stepped backward, but a miniature robotic spider appeared behind her and seized her. "Look, milady, I don't mean to harm you. So why don't you join me and return to the headquarters? I'm very sure Commander Valentino will be very pleased to meet his guest."

"With you?" Dizzy cried and tried to flee from the entangling mechanical tentacles that wrapped around her body. "Never! I will never follow you!"

Doctor Getter grinned and corrected his eyepiece. "Then what if I capture Alexander Hahn and bring him to our base?" She was startled and glared at him, disapproving of the act he was going to execute. "I expected that kind of reaction. So will you politely tell me of his whereabouts?"

"To hell with that."

Suddenly bright light shone the hospital garden, followed by a thunderclap that struck on Dizzy. The Gear woman was released from the tight hold of the robot's limbs and slowly floated above the ground, enveloped by faint electric orb. Doctor Getter was horror-struck and commanded hundreds of mini-robotic spiders to attack her. "Don't let her do whatever she's going to do!"

"_Mezamete."_

The orb glowed brightly, almost blinding everyone within its vicinity. Dizzy shivered and moaned, even as streams of electric energy channelled into and later through her body. The orb's glow intensified until it could not hold it any longer. Then it broke out with the roar of a thunder so loud it shattered even the toughest Plexiglas.

"_Mezamete, Dizzy. Awaken and claim what is truly yours…"_

The golden orb of lightning energy that materialized around her like a protective shell annihilated the nearest tentacles, and deflected all threats aimed at it. The robotic horde reared back and fired barrages of rockets at it, yet it didn't bulge nor was scratched. Within, the blue-haired half-Gear woman recited the final words to effect her transformation.

"_Awaken, Dizzy. Awaken NOW."_

With a thunderclap of magical energy, the orb expanded and then broke apart.

Battle robes of the Holy Order clung to her slim body, its white folds of cloth bordered by metallic gold trim. Twin yellow ribbons decorated her long blue hair, holding them captive into her two ponytails. Upon her waist hung a silver belt buckle, and upon that buckle was one engraved word: INNOCENCE.

The mark of the mysterious power that is The Will and the Word.

She was no longer just Dizzy.

She was _her_.

She was--

"_Divine Lightning Messiah,"_ a mysterious voice echoed through the chaotic air, pronouncing her name as it did. _"It is time, my child. Go forth and spread your wings across the land. Punish those who dare casting sins upon this earth, and protect those you love and care very much."_

"Yes, Holy Mother."

Effortlessly she stepped on the ground and stood firm on her feet. Within her arms, the Thunderseal sword was embraced close to her body as she chanted in ancient, unknown language. Later, she opened her lids and revealed a pair of ruby eyes burning with the passion of a warrior. A human warrior.

"Innocence."

With that spoken a gigantic thunderbolt blasted through the sky and struck the robotic spider herds, incinerating them in one shot. Doctor Getter, the proud and arrogant scientist of the Dragoon Society, was appalled by the unexpected event happening before his eyes and shivered in anger. "Infidel! How dare you destroying my creations! I, the great Doctor Lens Getter, must kill you!"

Dizzy turned her attention to the judge. She pulled the Thunderseal out of where it was plunged, and pointed it to Doctor Getter's face. "Release them," ordered the knight of lightning.

"What if I don't?" Doctor Getter insisted.

She tightened her hand on the hilt of the sword. "Then face your judgment day."

_Whoa-oh! Oh Angel!_

_Come greet the dawn, it's a brand new day!_

_Whoa-oh! Oh Angel!_

_Let burn the passion that fires your soul!_


	23. Chapter 23: Advent

**Heart of the Melting Blood  
Legend of the Moonlight  
Written and conceived** by: Lone Wolf NEO

Lone Wolf NEO does not own any of all the games or anime or manga featured in this story, but he owns the copyright to all his original ideas in this fiction. The author would really appreciate it if readers do not plagiaries everything inside this story without his knowledge.

**Chronological Note:** _Heart of the Melting Blood: Legend of the Moonlight_ takes place scarcely half a year after the event in _Heart of the Melting Blood RELOADED_, and currently runs roughly in parallel with _Guilty Gear: the World within and Without_ written and created by Sheo Darren. This time, the story will continue in a brand new arc, _Destiny Arc_, which takes place not long after the battle between the three knights of the Holy Orders in the Awe of She arc. The author will promise an ending to this tale of betrayal, trust and hope.

**Chapter 23  
Advent**

Previously, at Dragoon Society headquarters, Rome.

"Doctor Getter, Spike, Blaze, I fear the time has arrived."

"Whoa, come on, commander! What's brought you to talk of such things?"

"Valentino-_sama_, what are you trying to tell us?"

"It seems that my niece has neglected her role as the warrior maiden and subdued by her sentiment toward her brother. Such attitude is intolerable, and I don't want her to be clouded by her mentality."

"What's your plan, then?"

"I want her to be captured. Alive and in one piece."

"But Valentino-_sama_, you're her uncle! I mean, Lia-_sama_ has regarded you as her father for a long time. Why would you do such a thing against her?"

"Blaze, I understand her more than you can imagine. I know it's wrong to mistreat my own bloodline, but for the sake of the Dragoon Society, such sentiments must be put aside."

"Well,I don't care of what you're talking of, but I do agree with youmon one thing. As our leader, Mitress Lia has forgotten us. I feel a bit disappointed, you see."

"Shut your sorry mouth, Doctor Getter! Lia-_sama_ isn't like what you think!"

"Oh, really? Then what are you going to do about that, Mister Hayabusa?"

"Do not call me with that name!"

"Silence, both of you. This is not the time for argument. In two weeks, the Dragoon Society will hold its annual gathering at the Coliseum. The people of Rome are expecting us to organize some exciting event during the gathering. And I'm thinking…"

"Let me guess, Commander. Gladiator-like stage fight?"

"With a twist, Spike. Lia will be chosen for the event, but a gladiator fight isn't a gladiator fight until we've found a match for her. That's why I summoned the three of you to my office."

"I have no interest with this event. I'm leaving; don't expect me to participate. _Ja_."

"Look at that. Has he forgotten who he is?"

"Don't bother him for a while. I'm sure he will change his mind soon."

"So what do you want us to do?"

x-x-x-x-x

"I must say," uttered the robotic scientist from the top of Metal Widow, "this is NOT the way it should be planned! Go, Metal Widow!" For the second time, the mechanical spider roared and shot metallic limbs from its body, aiming all of)them at its intended target. It was not an easy task, for he was facing the illusive female warrior with an elusive quality of a knight. He was in deep frustration; he realized his Metal Widow was reaching its limit yet he had to accomplish the mission and return to base.

"Hey, baldie!" He turned around and was in aghast. Justine had already released Sion and Lia from the mechanical tentacles and jumped away from the robotic spider. "Looks like you've just lost your preys! Sucks to be you!"

"How dare you insulting the great Doctor Getter!" he replied and pointed at her. "Metal Widow, capture her! Don't let her escape!" Metal Widow was unable to apprehend with the command as it was still occupied by his previous order. "What is wrong with you? Capture that woman! DO IT NOW!"

That was a mistake. As soon as Metal Widow finally acknowledged the order, Holy Order Dizzy shot a thunderbolt at his position. It missed his head --barely-- but it was enough to startle him. "YOU! You dare attacking me from behind? You dare messing with me, the great scientist Doctor Getter?"

Holy Orders Dizzy made a smooth landing on one of the robotic spider's antennas and held the Thunderseal Blade in samurai-like stance. "This battle will end tonight." With that said she jumped back into the air and dived at the scientist, sword first.

"You are crazy to expose yourself! Metal Widow, go!" Reacting to the order, Metal Widow fired burst missiles at the knight's position. Hundreds of them. Doctor Getter laughed in maniac as the holy knight was diverted into evading the guided soda cans barrage and ordered the robotic spider to fire more at her. "More, Metal Widow! More! Let her feel the wrath of the great scientist Doctor Lens Getter!" he exclaimed.

"Hey, we've got to help Dizzy-_chan_!" Athena said as Justine brought the unconscious Lia and Sion back to the ground.

"But aren't we supposed to take care of these mini-mes?" Justine shouted back and punched a mini-me robot away.

"They're outnumbering us! There's no way we can outwit them!" Hotaru shouted while evading a mini-me's pouncing attack.

"Hotaru's right!" Rock shouted back. "There are too many of them! We can never win this battle alone! RAISING STORM!"

Logan managed to slice free of the limbs and returned to the women. "Damn! I never thought Dragoon Judges would fight among one another!" he insisted and backed them off. "Ladies, allow me to defend you in the name of axe warrior Rage," he told them and opened his battle stance.

"No way!" Justine exclaimed and stepped forward. "We won't let Mister Logan fight the enemy alone!"

"Justine's right!" Athena added and stepped beside her. "If you're going to fight, then you're going to need us!"

"Err… why am I involved in your matters?" Hotaru asked as she was dragged along.

"Because!" and here Justine, Athena and Athena opened distinctively cheesy yet recognizable fighting pose and appearing from nowhere was the unmistakable cue of the theme of Charlie's Angels. "We are Darren's Angels, fighting for world's peace while keeping our beauty intact! WACHAA!"

Hotaru couldn't help herself but to laugh silly. "Darren's… Angels?" she uttered while keeping her pose firm.

Logan could only grin and turned back to face the advancing mini-me robots. "Do whatever you must, ladies," he reminded and tightened the hold of his axe's hilt. "But don't overdo yourselves, okay?"

At another corner of the arena, Sol, Kagura and Satsuki were fending off the attacks of the mini-me robots. "(censored) these robotic creatures who don't know when to stop!" Sol screamed and fired a Savage Fang.

"Sol-_kun,_" Kagura called him as she counuerattacked an attacking mini-me)with her Hello Kitty backpack, "your fighting style looks very different from the usual."

"Oh really?" the Guilty Gear replimd, even as he fired a Blockhead!Buster at a mini-me and Action kharged the attack. "That was Lone Wolf NEO's suggestion. He tolm me, like, "_oh, Sol, remember your fighting style when you was serving the Holy Orders? It looks hotter than your current style. I'm sure many girls will fall for you after seeing it."_ Want to know my answer?" he spoke and fired yet another Blockhead Buster.

"Which is?" Kagura asked and punched an attacking mini-me far away from her.

"Shut the (censored) up, Lone Wolf. I know what I'm doing," he told her and fired another Savage Fang.

"But you do look more awesome when you use the fighting style, Sol-_kun_." The compliment was enough to sidetrack him, luckily for the Guilty Gear such praise was nothing.

"Stand back, both of you," Sol spoke and cracked his neck. "You may find this move… fiery."

"Hey, whqt is he going to do?" Satsuki whispered. "He looks like he's going to burn everything."

"You'll see," said the calm girl.

Back to the Metal Widow. Holy Orders Dizzy was still showing her salm face, despite the never-endkng rocket barrage fired at her position. Onboard Metal Widow, Doctor Getter was still laughing as if it was never enough to satisfy his greed. He summoned the giant crawler to fire more burst missiles and mechanical tentacles at the warrior, knowing that such strategies would eventually subdue her into surrender.

Or is it?

Holy Orders Dizzy immediately swung the Thunderseal. In an instant, a barrier of electricity was created and deflected all projectiles and limbs directed toward her. The scientist was in shock, never expecting his adversary to perform such a defensive measure. Metal Widow roared, as if realizing it had failed in subduing its prey.

And so did Doctor Getter. "You've fought very well, milady," he spoke and corrected his eyeglasses, "however, what it will look like when you dace this!" The moment he pressud the button, Metal Widow screeahed, halted and trembled while he jumped into its control room. The attack stopped at the same time, giving Holy Orders Dizzy time to reposition her position. he landed on a patch of ground and watched in surprise as the machanical spider underwent a trasformation, and she could hear the scientist's maddened laughter as the transformation went on.

And it stopped. Standing at more than 15 stories high was a robot. Holy Orders Dizzy did not bat an eyebrow in amazement; she simply stared at the gigantic machine that started to perform several moves on its feet. The trio of Darren's Angels stopped fighting the mini-me assault and watched at the machine in surprise.

"Isn't that the robot from Go Getter anime?" Athena asked.

"Either that baldie's watching too much super robot shows or Wolfie is running out of idea," Justine suggested.

"But we can't let it hurt Dizzy-_chan_!" Hotaru exclaimed. "We must help her!"

Onboard the newly transformed super robot, Doctor Getter was laughing as he always did inside the control room. "Now you see why everybody always says 'save the best for the last'! I didn't plan to let Metal Widow transform into its ultimate form, but it cannot be helped since the one we're dealing with is you!" and here the super robot pointed to Dizzy to elaborate his words. "Are you scared? Oh, I bet you are right now. Come on, do some kneeling actions. Beg me to spare your life, will you?"

Holy Orders Dizzy, instead, closed her eyes and lowered the Thunderseal. After a moment of silence, she opened her eyes and glared at the super robot. "You are the one who should beg to be spared of your life."

The answer was more than enough to challenge his credibility –and equally, his ego. "Fool! I've given you the chance to surrender, and you fail to see its benefit! Now you'll face the ultimate wrath of the Dragoon Judge! I, Doctor Lens Getter, will make your sorry! Go, Fist of the Metal Widow!"

Immediately, the super robot braced itself and fired one of its fists at the female warrior. Holy Orders Dizzy counterattacked with an Imperial Ray, and the lightning bolt of heaven struck on the flying fist. Doctor Getter laughed in anticipation and commanded Metal Widow to attack the woman in quick succession, giving her no space of counterattacking or escaping. And strangely enough, the cue music of Godannar theme started taking place as the battle between the holy knight and the super robot commenced.

"I think we better consult Lone Wolf-_san_," Hotaru recommended and punched a mini-me out of her sight, "after we're done with these annoyers."

"I couldn't agree more," Athena said and fired a Psycho Shield at an advancing mini-me.

"Hey! While we're at it, why don't we go for the most numbers of mini-mes destroyed?" Justine suggested and gave an attacking mini-me the taste of her uppercut punch. "Those who get the lowest score will have to buy us ice-cream! How about that?"

"Hah! That's a good suggestion, Miss Justine," Logan uttered and performed a Beast Slaying Slash against a group of mini-mes. "I haven't done so many killings since the old days of Crusades!"

"I don't want to be left out too!" Rock shouted and fired a _Reppuken_ at the miniature robots. "Got one! I bet Ky's going to be mad to see this mayhem!"

From faraway, they could see a pillar of flame rising to the dark sky ob Paris. Justine squealed in excitement when she saw Sol jumping out of the reach of the mini-mes, firing Aerial Gun Flames at the robots as he headed back to ground. "Sol-_chan, _fight-o!" she cheered.

"Shut the (censored) up, Justine!" Sol roared and sent a mini-me flying away with Storm Viper Level 3.

"Oh, okay Freddie."

x-x-x-x-x

Lia regained conscious. She looked around and found herself in front of the hospital door, sitting beside the still comatose Sion. Puzzled, she tried to stand up and fell back on her behind. Whining in pain, she woke Sion up. "Sion, wake up," she called.

The scholar of the Atlasian Academy opened her eyes. "What happened to us…?" she moaned.

"I don't know," answered the _miko_ girl, "but we're no longer with Doctor Getter."

Sion slowly took her seat. "Then are we safe?"

"I'm not quite sure of that, Sion, but…"

Her words were silenced. The clear silhouette of a ninja was reflected on the glass door, and Lia immediately turned around. "…Blaze?" she pronounced the name.

The Dragoon Judge fell to his knee and bowed to her. "Please forgive me for my late arrival, Lia-_sama_," Blaze apologized while stooping his masked head. "I know it's against the vows of the Great Judges to work with enemy, but I must do this."

"What happened, Blaze? Why?"

"Your uncle… _iie_, Valentino-_sama_, has decided to expel you from the role as Dragoon warrior maiden," Blaze explained.

The _miko_ girl gasped in shock. "Impossible! Uncle wouldn't do such a thing!"

"Which is why I am here, Lia-_sama_," said the ninja and lifted back his head. "I no longer trust his credibility as the commander of the Dragoon Society, nor his intention of expanding the society's vision, and I will never obey him whatever cost I may have to endure. My loyalty and my life are to be subjected to the one I'm serving."

"Well, well, well, looks like another Judge is going to defect from the league." The three of them turned left and saw the goatee swordsman walking toward the door, accompanied by a band of warriors who walked behind him.

"Spike! Don't tell me you're betraying me too?" Lia demanded.

Spike sighed in amusement and swung his rapier sword in the air. "Well, that's the reality of life. Sucks to be those who refuse to accept the truth," he uttered and pointed back the sword at her face. "Anyway, Commander Valentino has ordered me to follow Blaze to this place, in case he's planning to defect the society."

Immediately Blaze stood between the swordsman and the miko girl and opened a stance. "You dare pointing your sword at Lia-_sama's__face_? You have disgraced yourself as the Judge of the Dragoon Society! You have no sense of respect toward your mistress!"

Spike laughed. "My mistress? Have you forgotten that I'm a mercenary? Working for money is my specialty, and I have no loyalty to offer to anyone I work with," he uttered.

Blaze growled in annoyance and withdrew his katana. "Your words have proven your disloyalty and undesired sense of pride! You are no longer the Great Judge of Dragoon Society! Prepare for your death!" he declared.

"Oh, really Blaze? Or should I call you Hayabusa instead?" Spike mocked.

"Do not call me with that name!" demanded the ninja.

"Both of you stop it!" Lia demanded. "Don't fight each other, please!"

"Forgive me, Lia-_sama_," said the ninja. "But I must show this insolent the consequences of taking the judges too lightly!" Blaze immediately pounced toward Spike, who was more than ready to fight as he opened his fighting pose. "DIE, SPIKE!"

For some mysterious reason, a portal materialized between Spike and Blaze and jutting out of it was a piece of sword that deflected Blaze's attack. The blade started taking place even as it pierced itself through the air and an iron glove was seen holding the sheath of the sword, before a person walked out of the portal.

"This man is mine," uttered the person while pointing the sword at Spike's face.

"Saber?"

"Are we late?" along came Shirou's voice as he walked out of the portal with the rest of the FATE League. "Looks like we aren't," he uttered while looking around the hospital.

Spike snorted in amusement and cracked his neck. "I remember you, Miss. We fought at the field that night didn't we?"

"And I come here to finish it once and for all," Saber answered.

The swordsman laughed and swirled his rapier sword. "The name is Raphael Leno, mercenary serving the Dragoon Society as their Judge. What's yours?"

"I will only tell your name," Saber spoke and opened her battle stance, "after I defeat you!"

"Well, then," Spike spoke. "_En garde!"_

"Quick! We must go to where Alex is," Shirou shouted and rushed into the hospital. "Ciel-_san_ has informed us of what happened to him, so hurry up! We may not have enough time!"

"Allow me to follow you, Lia-_sama_," Blaze offered. "Enemy or not, I have right to know what has brought him to the unwanted demise."

"Oh? So you people are going to show us his whereabouts?" Spike asked and pointed to the runaway group. "Get them!" Immediately the swordsmen jumped away and hurled toward the FATE League.

"Damn it! They're going to catch us!" Sion shouted.

'Then let us fight them on your behalf," Rider spoke and pounced at the oncoming swordsmen.

"That battle looks fun," Archer uttered and withdrew his twin daggers. "Rin, Shirou, Sakura, take everyone else to safety. It's show time!"

Illiya giggled in excitement, shouted, "Go Berserker!" and instantly a wall of muscle more than 8 foot tall appeared before her. "Berserker Punch! Berserker Kick! Berserker Roar!" she shouted, and Berserker did what she told him.

Shirou glared at her. "Illiya-_chan_, how long you've been watching that super robot show?"

The girl turned to him and smiled. "More than you can imagine, _oniichan_!" Then she gave him the usual big hug.

(Someone who looked like Sheo (yes, this is just a lookalike. Besides, Rheo is busy watching the super robot/holy knight duel, while the real deal is nowhere) bit his handkerchief in envy. Lone Wolf NEO (this one is real) glared at Shirou in disgust and jealousy. Fan boys materialized and howled at the scene. Fan girls appeared and demanded them to drop dead. Fan boys re-spawned and told the girls to shut up. Lone Wolf NEO growled in annoyance, said, "It's you people who must shut up," and pulled a rope that came out of nowhere. Fan boys and fan girls were sucked up by a hole and sent into the oblivion. "It sucks to be fans, you know! Say hello to my acquaintances down there once you meet them! See you around!" Mriya glomped him. Lone Wolf NEO grumbled but didn't resist the happy hug and walked away. Hibiki appeared and protested at Mriya. The energetic woman giggled at her reaction and tightened her arms about the author's neck.

"That scene looks like the one where Sol always sends fan boy and fan girls away with his Tyrant Rave, isn't it?" suggested Tessa.

Yuuki just corrected her eyeglasses. "Except for the lookalike part," she answered.

"_Baaka_," promptly Ruri spoke, ending the sidetracked scene.)

Lia, Blaze and the rest of the FATE League followed Sion to the ward Alex was admitted to. With the battle taking place both outside the entrance door and the hospital's garden, there was very little space to bring him away from the battlefield and retreat to safety. All they could think of was to hold the line and protect the solitary patient's room until the battle subdued.

They arrived at the ward and immediately rushed into the room. They were in relief; Alex was still there, being examined by the unwary Faust. "What happened? I was giving some dose of medicine to Mr. Alex when I heard explosions from the outside," said the doctor.

"Doc, we don't have much time," Sion told him. "The Dragoons may attack Alex anytime, so we have to defend him until there are no mowe threats."

"Whoa, there are gights out there?" Faust asked. ›Well, then, leave the threats tk me! There's nothing an accomplyshed doctor cannot do!" and here he waved a "ROCK ON!" sign to he air.

The people stared at uach other, nodded and surrounded the bed where the unconscious alex was lying on. Sion approached the bed and stared at him, knowing that he would not realize what was going to happen before him. She took his hand and clenched it tightly, whispering "hang on there, Alex. We won't let them approach you no matter what."

"Incoming!" The door exploded, and the group immediately made sheltered the patient from flying debris and dust. From beneath the dust, came a screeching wail followed by a blast of energy wave coming from the door. Shirou was hit and crashed on the wall. Rin screamed in shock and counterattacked with a magic blast, just in time another energy wave charged at her. It was deflected and sent outside the room. "What the hell was that?" she demanded.

Blaze lowered his stance and reached for his katana. "There can only be ene who learns the Energy Fist technique," he uttered and squintmd. "Come out, Tanaka Eiko! You tare provoking us and intending to harm Lia-_sama_! I shall not spare you!"

Accompanied by several female monk warriors, the owoer of the name slowly walked ino the room and approached the ninja. "I didn't come in intention of hurting Lia-_sama_, nor did I come here as the Dragoon servant," uttered Eiko, the Great Judge of the Dragoon Society. "In fact, I have long abandoned the society a long time, and I owed it to Alexander Hahn."

"So you left us back there just to fight him, Echo?" Lia demanded. "Why would you not listen to my orders and stay back!"

"I'm sorry, Lia-_sama_," she apologized. "But he still owes me his life." With that said she donned a gauntlet, and was immediately surrounded by her escorts. "And tonight, I'll make sure he'll meet his demise."

"NEVER!" Lia jumped forward and faced the monk warriors with her lance withdrawn. "I won't let you harm my brother, even if this causes our bond to tear apart! I won't let you approach him!"

The female monk grinned and opened her fighting stance. "Fine. Then I will no longer regard you as my mistress. Our relationship ends tonight."

"Step over my body first!" Blaze stepped in front of Lia and backed her off. "Lia-_sama_, leave this scoundrel to me. Leave and bring Alexander to safety."

"But Blaze, you can't fight her alone!" she insisted.

"I know," he answered and withdrew his katana. "But under my eyes, they are nothing but withering leaves falling from their host toward the end of their lives."

Eiko snorted in annoyance to hear the taunt. "Who are you to fight us Maidens of Purple Lotus?"

Blaze turned around and glowered at the female monk. "I should've told you, that I have a serious problem with you ever since we're enlisted to serve Lia-_sama_. Such a painful memory I have to endure…"

Her eyes widened. "So be it! I shall kill you as well!" She emitted a deafening battle cry and charged at the ninja. Lia cried out in shock, yet the two fighters were already engaged in a battle before she could stop them.

"We have to bring Alex to safety!" Sion shouted and holstered Alex's arm about her shoulders. "Lia, give me your hand!" Hesitantly the _miko_ girl approached the bed and assisted Sion before the battle became worse. Rin was doing the same to Shirou, while Faust shielded them from energy waves unleashed from the intensifying battle. "Doctor, do you know any safe place to stay in?"

Faust took his cloak and waved it in front of the people. Seconds later a portal door materialized from beneath the cloak and the doctor stepped into it. "Follow me; this door will lead you away from the hospital," he informed. Immediately they entered the door, but Lia stayed behind.

"Lia, come on!" Sion shouted. "It's too dangerous to stay out there!"

"I can't follow you!" she shouted back. "Not until I get the answer I needed to! I must know why everyone in the Dragoon Society is against me!"

Sion stepped back into the ward room and seized the girl's arm. "Don't be a stupid! Nobody's going to tell you anything of that! We're leaving now!" she insisted and pulled her back to the door.

"Let go off me!"

Sion held her arm tighter. "Where do you think you're going, Lia!"

Lia kicked her away and ran toward Blaze. "I'm helping Blaze! If you don't want to help me, then leave! This is my responsibility as his master!"

"Lia, watch out!"

The _miko_ girl turned around, and found herself facing a mob of warrior monks charging at her. Terrified at what was heading towards her, Lia was stunned and could not do anything to evade the oncoming attack. Yet somehow, a blurred shadow was obstructing the head-on attack, and what Lia could only think of was _him_.

"Brother Alex!"

Sion was equally surprised. "Impossible! I thought he couldn't even move his hands!"

Shirou ald Rin were amazed and turned to Faust for explanation. "I didn't remember giving him a dose of my medicine! This might be a miracle!" he declared.

Lia was in shock. She could not believe her eyes. The man she thought would be bedridden for a long period was standing in front of her, enduring the warrior monks' attacks with bare hands. On top of that, he was still blindfolded, bandaged and tied up with fluid tubes.

The warrior monks retreated to Eiko's position. Lia immediately ran toward the lone wolf who was still standing in defensive position. "Brother Alex, what are you doing! You aren't supposed to move!" He was not answering; he, instead, turned his attention to the warrior monks. He murmured in a very barely audible voice, took the _miko_ girl's lance and opened a stance. "Brother Alex! What are you going to do! You can't fight them! Leave the monks to us!"

In response, he swung the lance and dragged its tip along the floor. An energy projectile was ignited and rushed toward the warrior monks. He ran behind the projectile, jumped over it and slashed the floor beneath the monks. It collapsed under the great pressure of the chi-based attack, sending the monks with it down to the ground floor. He landed near the crevasse and glared at Eiko and charged at her without0warning. He missed, yet the massive force from the attack caused walls to blow apart, and he skidded along the floor before came to a halt.

"Brother Alex!" Lia ran toward where Alex was ane found him standing with Eiko's head in his grasp. Somehow, he managed to seize her head and brought her along, smashing her against layer upon layer of walls. He let go of the barely aware monk and stepped backward, ignoring the already horrified _miko_ girl. He halted, turned back and pointed the lance at Eiko who stood back on her feet. He lowered his stance, hurled himself forward, and…

"Brother Alex, no!"

The wall behind the warrior monk was shattered, before an immense explosion trembled across the hospital. Dusts and debris filled the air, and Lia could not see what was going on. She shouted for her brother's name and searched for him. The dusts set off, and she saw him standing in front of Eiko. The lance attack missed her head and hit the wall behind her instead.

He began to speak, yet his voice was swallowed by another explosion that came from the outside. Eiko watched at him and gasped in horror. "No, Alexander! I didn't mean to hurt your sister! Please let me explain!" His lips moved again, and this time she fell on her knees. "No…! It wasn't like what you're thinking…!" she wept and covered her horrified face. "You have to believe me…"

The lone wolf was glaring at her for a very long time while tightening his clutch about the lance. Then he turned around, walked toward the edge of the hole and stared at the source of the explosion he heard; the super robot that was cornering Holy Orders Dizzy, ready to fire all weapons at her. Again, his lips moved as he spoke with voice barely audible to anyone. Then, to everyone's shock, he screamed --howling like an angry wolf-- and charged at the super robot. He landed on the super robot's nape and plunged the lance into it, brought it toward the robot's shoulder blades and dragged it down its spine. He jumped away from the super robot and landed on a patch of land, while the super robot trembled due to spinal damage.

Holy Orders Dizzy immediately jumped toward him. "Alex, what are you doing here?" she demanded. He said nothing and spun the lance in circular motion, before stepping toward the super robot. The female knight seized his arm and pulled him away from the super robot. "It's too dangerous for you to take care of. Please, leave it to me." He took her palm, clenched it for a long time let go off it. This time, he moved a step backward and stood next to her. He lifted the lance and aimed it at the super robot's midsection. She stared at him and looked back at the target.

"Understood."

She leaned slightly backward and charged at the super robot in a blinding speed. The collision caused the super robot to snap in half, and the upper body part was sent flying in the air. Holy Orders Dizzy halted, levitated between the super robot and the ground and lifted the Thunderseal to the air.

"The Will and the Word."

She brought the sword to the ground.

"_Tenchu."_

A thunderbolt materialized, pierced down the sky and struck upon the super robot. In less than a second, it was over for the super robot as it crushed under millions of volts of lighting force into thousands of tiny pieces. The super robot's escape capsule containing Doctor Getter escaped the explosion and crashed on the ground. Shaken but unhurt, the scientist walked out of it, only to be greeted by three pairs of angry eyes and three pairs of eager fists.

"Please, ladies, spare my life," Doctor Getter pleaded. "I have a wife to take care of, and I have three children to look after. Please let me go, ladies."

"Oh, really?" Justine insisted as she cracked her knuckles.

"I sense a terrible lie going on now," Athena added with an unconvinced smile.

"_Hentai_!" Hotaru cried in dismay. "Not only you used tentacles against us, you even copied Go Getter and Godannar! _Henta_i!"

Doctor Getter gulped. "So what are you ladies going to do about that?"

"WACHAA!" The trio delivered a flying kick in response, and sent Doctor Getter flying toward the hospital. "And don't every try to copy Team Rocket, you machine freak!"

Alex lowered the lance and stood motionless, not noticing Lia, Sion and Blaze who approached him from the left. He also failed to take note of Holy Orderw Dizzy who walked toward him ane remained silence.

"Brother Alex…?" The lone wolf collapsed ald released the lance off his hand when Lia touched his shoulder- but was caught by the female Holy Knight before he reached thehground. "Brother Alex! No!"

"He's alright," Holy Orders Dizzy0told her and slowly sat on the eround, taking him with her. Shehrested his head upon her lap ane carefully patted his scalp. "Hå's very tired. He needs a lot od time to rest. Rest assured, Lim; your brother will be alright."

Lia sighed in relief and sat beside the holy knight, staring at her brother's unaware face. "But what happened to him? What caused him to…?"

Sol walked toward them, knelt and pressed his finger against Alex's neck. "Something triggered his body, I can feel it," he uttered.

"Do you know what caused my brother to act… like that?" Lia pleaded.

"What I can only tell you," he spoke, "is this kid has faced _it_. And he will again." He later stood up and left the bedazzled _miko_ girl. "By the way, little girl."

"Y-yes?" she replied.

Sol turned back at her and handed her a flute. "Should this kid wakes up, give this to him. He should remember it right away."

Reluctantly she took the item and looked at him. "But what should I tell him if he asks?"

"Tell him it's a relic from his past," he said and walked away from her. "He'll know what to do next. He will."


	24. Chapter 24: Emancipation of Mind

**Heart of Melting Blood  
Legend of the Moonlight  
Written by:** Lone Wolf NEO  
**Conceived by:** Lone Wolf NEO

**Author's note:** Guilty Gear is copyrighted by Sammy Studios whereas TYPE-MOON holds the right over all games under the company's label: Tsukihime, FATE, etc, etc, etc…. Lone Wolf NEO does not own any or all real-life features or whatever facts featured in this story. He does, however, own the copyright to all his original ideas in this fiction. The author would really appreciate it if readers do not duplicate everything inside this story without his knowledge.

**Author's note:** since Illiya Hahn shares the same first name with Illiyafeil, she will be called 'Lia' from now on.

**Chapter 24  
Emancipation of Mind**

"So what are we going to do now?" Shirou asked.

"According to Miss Ciel, we should hold our position until the Vatican Church informs her of the Dragoon's whereabouts," Ky told them.

"Wait? Why must we wait when we can find them and crush them like this?" Illiyafeil insisted and ground her fist against her palm. Berserker mimicked what his Master was doing and roared.

"No, it would be better if the captured Judges agree to cooperate with us," Ky insisted. "Besides, from the current situation, we don't know how strong the society is."

"Apart from the Judges, that is," Logan added. "But the society's actual strength is beyond my knowledge. I can't tell how strong they are, even without the Judges."

Blaze wasn't saying anything, although he did nod to agree with the axe fighter.

"Why would we have to wait? Like Illiya said, we should slap their hump right now," Archer insisted.

Tohsaka Rin smacked him on his head. "You've been listening to that song too much, Archer," she said.

"Aw, come on! That song totally rules!" Archer exclaimed.

Again, Rin bonked him. "Shut up, Archer. You're scaring the kitty away."

Rider added another question to the conversation. "But if we do know where the Dragoons are dwelling, where should we begin our hunt? And how are we going to fight them?"

"I don't know of that right now, Miss Rider," Ky told the blindfolded Servant. "Whatever it is, I should interrogate the judges we detain at the police station. Now will you excuse me for a while?"

Ky headed to the door, opened it and entered the wardroom. Dizzy was talking with Alex as he could see, and both didn't realize his arrival inside the room. Slowly he approached them and greeted them, even as Alex realized his arrival.

"How are you now, Alexander?" Ky asked.

Alex laughed to hear the question. "Pretty much in one piece right now," he said and swung his left arm around. "Looks like I'll leave the hospital in two week's time-- OUCH!"

"Alex!" Dizzy yelped. "I've told you not to swing around too much, haven't I?"

Alex still managed to laugh, despite the nerve-biting pain he felt on his arm. "But I can still move, right?"

Dizzy gave him a disapproval look. Alex sighed and surrendered. "Sorry. I guess I should listen to you."

Ky was amazed. After all the years of vengeance and delusion, the lone wolf of Holy Orders still never failed to amuse people he met. Even the Gear woman fell to the friendly charm of the man. He could only wonder of how and why.

"Oh, yes, I should inform Mr. Hahn here that I will conduct a research to find a possible donator to heal Lia's illness," Ky spoke. Alex looked at him in surprise. "Excuse me, but I've been told that Lia suffers from thalassemia. Didn't the doctor tell you of this?"

Alex frowned. "Only now I realize of Lia's illness…" he uttered. He closed his eyes and clenched a fist. "I'm sorry, Lia… I couldn't do anything for you. I'm so sorry…"

Dizzy held his hand, giving him the calming effect he needed to. "Please, Alex, I'm sure Lia will be alright." He could only nod and held her hand in return.

"Anyway, I should be going to the police station right away," Ky told them and headed to the door. "There are still many things I have to settle before interrogating the Judges."

He stopped. "Dizzy."

Dizzy turned to him. "Yes, Ky?"

The knight took a deep breath. Intuitively he scratched the back of his head. "Listen, I… I didn't mean to hurt you back there," he uttered. "I'm sorry." She was startled, but Ky didn't say anything afterwards. His only answer was leave the ward.

"Alex?"

"Yes, Dizzy?"

Dizzy looked at him. Her eye gaze was sad, yet he saw nothing unusual from it. "I… I should excuse me right now. Justine and her friends are waiting for me outside the hospital." She paused, and then she continued. "We planned to have a karaoke party at the city's pub tonight. I'm sorry because I can't bring you along."

"No, it's alright. Besides," and here he laughed silly. "I'm not used to karaoke. Unless-- if you want me to do live performance." He noticed that the Gear woman was deeply staring at him. He was intrigued. "Dizzy, perhaps if you could--"

A pair of moist lips seized his. Stunned, silenced, he could do nothing even as the woman deepened the kiss, never letting him go.

"I love you, Alex…"

She broke off the kiss and immediately left the room. The startled Alex said nothing for a long time. Then he put his finger upon his lips; the warmth of her mouth was still there, lingering. His heart sped up, as if been stimulated by an electric shock.

"What… was that for?"

x-x

Ky headed to the police station; he decided to begin the investigation on the Dragoon Society immediately. Logan and Blaze followed him from the behind, knowing that they, too, might be investigated later on. They didn't regret, though, for they offered their loyalty only to their mistress Lia.

They arrived at the hospital's square and saw a scene taking place. What they were looking at wasn't what they were expecting.

"For God's sake, what is this?"

"Do I see a marching parade coming?"

"……"

Justine blushed. Athena cooed. Hotaru wowed. Satsuki blinked in surprise. Rock couldn't help but to envy. Rheo batted an eyebrow in wonder. Sol was standing not far from the previous group, donning strange-looking attire identical to the uniform Ky was dressed in. The Corrupted Flame looked totally different. And damn right he was.

Ky slapped his forehead as a sign of dishonour. "Sol, what are you doing in that uniform?"

Sol looked at the scandalized questioner. He pointed to Justine and Athena, who promptly took cover behind Hotaru and Rheo. "And blame Lone Wolf NEO as well. He was the one who suggested me to return to the old days…"

Suddenly fan girls materialized and started surrounding Sol en masse. The Guilty Gear snapped in total rage and was about to swing Fireseal at the ocean of female fanatics when Kagura did the unthinkable: summoning a 'portal to Hell' and sending them into the deepest of oblivion. Sol looked at the girl, who in return smiled at him.

"How did you do that?" he demanded.

"Did what?" Kagura replied, pretending that she didn't get the question he asked.

"SOL-_CHAAAANN!_"

"Oh, shi--"

That lithe, energetic body of Justine crashed into him from behind. How did she materialize behind Sol, nobody knew --and certainly nobody wanted to know. The pair of arms mightily squeezing his neck made breathing difficult.

"Justine," Sol uttered. "I don't know what the hell that for was, but LET GO OFF ME!" Justine squealed in denial and happily rubbed her cheek against his. "I SAID STOP IT!"

"Never! I won't let you go!" Her arms, however, relaxed a bit. "I didn't know you would look awesome in this suit! Hurray for Sol-_chan_!"

Sol dropped the red-haired girl to the ground. He gave Justine a pointed look. The disappointed girl avoided his gaze as a sign of her disapproval. "Look, what's really wrong with you, acting like a fan girl and such?"

The frown was all the warning he had. Then she kicked him on the shin.

Sol chased Justine around the venue.

"What the hell was that for! You come back here right this instant!"

The girl ran back to Athena and mocked him. "Serve you right, Sol-_chan_. PIIDAH!"

Sol didn't continue chasing her and returned to Kagura, even as he rubbed the annoying pain on his shin. Then he looked all over himself and shook his head in disgust. "Damn, I didn't expect to wear this after ten years." He sniffed the clothing and was irked. "Smells like-- bah! Just forget it. I want to see that little girl." So saying, he holstered the Fireseal and walked toward the garden.

"Ky, wanna go and have a karaoke party with us?" Rock shouted, emphasizing the word 'party' by shaking his hips.

"Karaoke? Hah, I haven't had a party for long time," Logan answered instead and went to the group.

"But-- hey! You said you want to come with me!" Ky yelled.

Logan laughed and waved at him. "Come on, officer! I need to have a break once in a while!" He later signalled at Blaze. "Well, Blaze, want to bet on who can drink the most tonight?"

It was a challenge even a dignified ninja could not resist. Blaze laughed, went to Logan, leaving the startled knight behind and left the hospital for a night at Paris. Ky was the only one standing in front of the hospital, unsure of what to do next.

"Why didn't they invite me?" he finally exclaimed. He sighed and shook his head afterwards. "I better go and do my works right away…"

x-x-x-x-x

Alex was outside the wardroom, standing on the balcony, staring at the full moon. He was humming to a song, tapping his palms on the holding bar. He was thinking that he would be spending the rest of the night alone; Dizzy must probably be enjoying herself at the karaoke bar with her friends, Lia had gone missing for a couple of hours. He was wondering whether he would not have someone to talk to.

It wouldn't be, as he realized that someone was standing next to him. He turned around to see the person, who in return smiled at him. "My presence here doesn't bother you, does it?" asked Sion.

"No, in fact," he answered and looked back at the moon. "I was wondering whether you want to come here or not. I need someone to talk with right now, actually."

Sion giggled at the answer and moved closer toward her. She looked up, watched at the full moon and took his hand. "Alex, I… I need to tell you something," she said.

"You do? You remind me of someone when you said that," he told her. "Someone… very dear to me."

A faint blush tinted her cheeks. She frowned and had a bashful smile carved upon her face. "I am?" She heard nothing from him, but later felt two strong arms resting about her shoulders. Upset at first, she later leaned against the hard, muscular body, resting her head upon his chest.

"Do you want to say something, Sion?" Alex asked as he cradled her.

"Umm." She took both his hands and held onto them. "I… I missed you so much, Alex. I thought I'd never see you again."

"I missed you, too, Sion," he whispered and tightened his arms around her body. "And I'm sorry for making you upset. Say…"

"Yes, Alex?"

"Dizzy told me about you, her and Lia," he uttered and lifted his hand to the moon, as if wanting to bring it down to earth. "I guess… I guess I should understand how the three of you feel toward me."

"Alex, what do you want to tell me?"

"That I love you. Dizzy, Lia and you, I love you all."

Her heart suddenly sped up. She twitched at the rush of blood in her face, and her cheeks started to flush brightly. She almost lost her breath and felt her sights blacking out.

"You… can't be serious," she said after regaining her strength.

"I'm sorry for hiding this from you." He later rested his chin upon her scalp and sighed. "It took me… years to force myself into loving someone again. I thought I could never accept someone to reside inside my heart, because…"

"Because you're afraid to hurt their heart, right?" Sion pulled herself from his firm embrace and turned to gaze at him. "Tell me, Alex. Does it hurt to choose and love someone without hurting other people's heart? Is it painful to let different people love you?"

Alex broke the eye gaze and turned away. "Sion, I…"

"Look at me, please," she begged and pulled his face toward hers. "I know you're reluctant to tell us your true feeling because you don't want to hurt any of us, but you can't hide it from us forever. It will never help you at all, because you know that we love you. You… just refuse to accept the fact, don't you?"

Alex's blue eyes stormed open. He could only stare as Sion frowned and buried her blushing face beneath the patient clothes. "I'm sorry, Alex," her trembling voice was heard. "I thought I was the only one who loved you. I just found out about their feeling towards you. I… I'm jealous at them because they're not afraid to love you."

"Dizzy… Lia…" His eyes closed, and he uttered a name under his sombre breath. "Hikaru…" Then years of memory of the woman he regarded as his first love emerged, along with vivid images of her smile, pure and innocent. He grimaced to think of the memory he had shared at the woman.

"I'm sorry, Alex," Sion apologized. "I know it's very hard for you to accept our love. I…"

"Will they approve of our love?"

Sion looked up and saw him staring down at her. His blue eyes were cold, yet she felt so radiant to gaze into his sight. She smiled and placed her palm upon his cross scar. "I don't know what they might think of right now, but Dizzy and Lia had told me they were ready to leave you for our sake. They said they didn't want to see you hurt if you were forced to love them…"

"They… they couldn't be this serious. I… I do love them, but…"

"Hush." A soft finger touched his lips; her tender smile silencing his griping heart. "You love Dizzy because she's your best friend, and you love Lia because she's your precious little sister. I can understand that, but they aren't the ones you've been looking for, right?" She laughed silly and frowned again, shyly running her finger down his chest. "Strange. I didn't know I could say something like this. But… I know you love me because…"

She pulled his face down and seized his moist lips, taking the lone wolf completely by surprise. The kiss lasted for eternity, and it deepened as she pressed herself against his body and became lost in the cloud of passion that enveloped her.

"Because I know you're the only one who can fill the void inside my heart," Alex whispered over her swollen mouth. "Oh, Sion, how foolish I was to ignore this truth." Then he seized her lips, taking a sharp intake of breath with him as he devoured her, like a hungry man suddenly presented with banquet. Sion fell in line, bringing her arms to the nape of his neck and clinging closer to him. She knew it was a triumph, for she had finally tamed the heart of the lone wolf and was ready to give everything to the man who owned it.

They broke off the kiss and stared at each other for a long time. Then he pushed her slightly away and took her hand. She could not believe her eyes when she saw him inserting a ring into one of her fingers. "Alex, this…"

He took the hand and kissed the ring. "This ring was given by the first woman I loved before she left this world. You remember Hikaru, right?"

She just nodded to answer yes. She remembered her as Alex's first love. She had to wonder of the purpose Hikaru gave the ring to her.

"She… she had wished to see me presenting this ring to the first woman who would love me as much as her did, or even more. It took me more than years, but…" Alex went silent and stared at her for a long time. Then he continued his words. "But finally I will have her wish granted."

_My life is brilliant, my life is pure  
I saw an angel of that I'm sure  
She smiled at me on the subway  
She was with another man  
But I won't lose no sleep on that_  
'_Cause I've got a plan…_

She started to blush. "Alex, what… does that suppose to mean?"

"Sion," and here he brought his hand upon her warm cheek, and tenderly cupped it. "I want to take you as my wife and live with you forever. Will you marry me, my one and only Sion?"

_You're beautiful, you're beautiful  
You're beautiful, it's true  
I saw your face in a crowded place  
And I don't know what to do_  
'_Cause I'll never be with you…_

The purple alchemist gasped. She could feel her heart beating wildly against her ribcage, and she felt her head strangely light. A butterfly sensation was tingling in her stomach, and she lost a word to express her feeling. Unable to contain her feeling, she cried and stroked his hand along her flushed cheek. "I never thought to know that you were going to propose me for marriage, but… I'm so happy."

"I take that as a yes," he replied and reclaimed her mouth again. "I love you, Sion."

_Yeah, she caught my eye, as we walked on by  
She could see from my face that I was  
Flying high  
And I don't think that I'll see her again  
But we shared a moment that will last till the end…_

"I love you, Alex…" she sighed and shivered at the touch of his fingers against her spine. "Please, don't let anything come close to us…"

"I will not allow that to happen," he whispered and held her close. "Ever."

_You're beautiful, you're beautiful  
You're beautiful, it's true  
I saw your face in a crowded place  
And I don't know what to do_  
'_Cause I'll never be with you…_

The couple held onto each other again and were oblivious of the moonlight that shone down upon them. Slowly they sank into the sea of romance, thinking of nothing but the love they shared and the sense of unity they felt for the other. Neither one decided to say anything more; rather they let themselves enjoy this moment of tranquillity and delight.

_You're beautiful, you're beautiful  
You're beautiful, it's true  
There must be an angel, with a smile on her face  
But it's time to face the truth  
I will never be with you…_

x-x-x-x-x

"Dizzy-_chan_, are you alright?"

Dizzy's thinking process was disturbed. She turned around and saw Hotaru staring at her. She was worried, and she could see it coming from their eyes.

"Dizzy-_chan_, we're having karaoke right now and all you do is sit down?" Hotaru insisted and pulled her toward the karaoke booth. "Come on, Dizzy-_chan_! Think of nothing and sing till we drop!"

"Yeah, we sing and then we drop to the floor!" Justine exclaimed and waved the grape juice bottle she was holding.

"Dizzy-_chan_, sing us a song!" Athena cheered. "We'll dance for you!"

The Gear woman could only giggle and took the microphone. "Everyone, are you ready to shake your booty tonight?"

The crowd cheered and clapped for her.

"_Say 'Shava-Shava'! Say 'Shava-Shava'! Say 'Shava-Shava'! Say 'Shava-Shava'!"_

x-x

Sol halted. He arrived at the destination he was headed to. A lone bench near the garden's lake, sitting next to a lamp post. He saw a girl sitting below the solemn light of the post, and just shook his head.

Slowly he approached her. "Hey, girl, care to have a company?"

Lia lifted her head. "Oh, sir." Quickly she tidied her maiden clothing and corrected her seating. "Hello, good evening. How can I… help you?"

Sol said nothing and took a seat beside her. He plunged the Fireseal next to the bench and stared at the night sky. "You don't have to. I just want to spend some time with you."

The young girl blushed. "Thank you, sir… I was thinking whether I should leave this place."

"Call me Sol, I'm not used to formal suffixes," Sol told her. "Girl, what's your name?"

"Lia… Mr. Sol. Pleased to meet you."

"What are you doing here, Lia? You're supposed to look after your brother, you know?" he asked.

Lia shook her head. "No, it's alright with me. I… I just need room for privacy." She noticed how long the Guilty Gear was staring at her, and she blushed. "Please, Mr. Sol. Don't look at me like that. I'm not used to…"

"Why? Is it because," and here Sol batted an eyebrow. "You have something about your brother?" Slowly she nodded, even as she tried to make the blush go away. Sol grumbled in wonder and leaned agaisnt the bench. "You already have that kid's trait, even when you don't realize it yet."

"Mr. Sol, I… may I ask you of something?"

Sol turned his attention to Lia. "What is it?"

"Is it alright…" she spoke, "if I give my brother to Sion? I… I just realized that I wasn't the person he wanted to. I…"

Sol stared at her. "Are you sure you want to do that, Lia?"

She just nodded, even as tears started fill in her eyes. "It's the least I can do for now," she told the Flame of Corruption. "If… if brother can live happily with her, I'll be happy for him, too…"

"Don't lie in front of me, Lia," Sol insisted. "I know you don't want him to leave you. Don't you?"

Lia frowned. "I… I…"

"Look, Lia," Sol spoke. "I don't like being an advisor, but if you don't let him know, you'll never know when you'll have that chance. Do you expect time to be with you? Besides." He paused. He sighed and continued talking. "The doctor told me you're having serious thalassemia problem."

She cried. "I don't want to trouble him with my illness…" she sobbed. "Mr. Sol, I…"

"How long you're going to hide this matter from him? Forever?" Sol gave her a look of disapproval. "Look, Lia. Sooner or later, you're going to tell him of everything. You can't run away from the fact that you have a caring brother."

The young maiden broke into a bitter wail. She could no longer contain her emotion and cried. Sol grumbled at the reaction and brought her towards him. "Damn. Will you ever stop crying?" he demanded. Lia wasn't listening to him, even as she kept crying and buried her flushed face beneath his Holy Orders' sleeves. Sol could only sigh and slowly patted her shoulder, his eyes rolling to the dark sky of Paris.

x-x-x-x-x

He stared at her. The Atlasian alchemist's naïve face as she was sleeping tickled the very root of his heart. He gazed at the peaceful expression and couldn't help but to chuckle; at least to himself. He may have found his eternal love, but he wouldn't do such things as allowing him and the young woman to succumb to the overgrowing passion they had felt. Nor he could afford to stain the person he cared of very much in the name of love. So as soon as she fell asleep, Alex brought her to the bed and left her alone, accompanied only by the wedding ring she wore. He felt like an idiot to leave his newfound love by herself when he should've gone and cradle her in his arms, sharing the night together as a married couple. He could go onto the bed and possessed her right now, showing her how much he loved her.

That can wait, he told himself as he put the blanket over her. She stirred in her sleep and unconsciously mumbled as if her nap was disturbed. Alex realized how he needed to left her unnoticed, so he bent down and brushed his lips upon her forehead. The featherlike touch was a calming effect, and soon she fell into her doze. Slowly he ran his fingers through her lavender hair, now free of all restrains and spread across the pillow. "Good night, Sion," he whispered and kissed her. "Sleep well."

He broke away and headed to a uniform suit hung next to the ward's door. It was his Holy Orders outfit, brought by Dizzy during her most recent visit. That Gear woman told him she had repaired the uniform whenever she could, and had strived to restore the garb to its original condition. It wasn't perfect, as he noticed, but at least he knew Dizzy had tried. "Thanks, Dizzy," he uttered and took the black clothes. He stared at it, clenched his fists beneath it and closed his eyes. "There's one final debt I must settle before anything goes against me."

Slow as he was, the knight was fully dressed, tossing the unwanted clothing out of the way. Now that he was out of the way, Alex took a second to look at his reflection on the mirror. He scowled; it was the old image of the black feather who had served the people as a Holy Knight, and the image also concealed the dark sides of a heartless assassin and a man loved by his Gear family. He was aware of how his past had shaped him to become what he currently was. He shook his head in disapproval. He just had to keep going forward and carve his own future with his very hands.

He went back to the bed. Gazing at the still-sleeping Sion, Alex took out his rosary and pulled it off his neck. He reached for her hand, put the rosary on its palm and closed her hand. He held her hand for a while and let it go, and he went toward the table. He took the sword of Black Sabbath, unwrapped its clothing that was keeping it covered and clipped it on his belt. Then he picked his pocket and took out what looked like a piece of metal talon welded on a thin lace. He wore it around his neck, stared at it and headed to the balcony. He donned the black scarf, went silent and breathed out.

"_I'm leaving."_

x-x

Justine was stunned. All in a sudden, her vision became blurred. Her head was tingling in ache. She heard a faint voice echoing inside of her ears, calling her name in low tone.

"Guys," she called the group. "I'm very sorry, but I must leave. I… I don't feel quite well right now."

"Do you really have to leave?" Athena asked. "We still have a lot of time to spend here."

Justine laughed silly and brought her palms to a praying gesture. "I'm sorry, Athena, but I have to. We still have lots of time at Paris, right?"

"Should I bring you to the door, Justine?" Dizzy asked, offering her an escort.

The red-haired girl shook her head. "No, thanks, Dizzy-_chan_. I can take care of myself." She approached the door and waved to them. "Well, then, enjoy yourselves!"

So saying, Justine immediately left the karaoke lounge and went outside. Athena watched at her best friend and was in doubt. She was concerned of whether her mood wasn't going well, or something had caused her sudden change of behaviour.

x-x

He arrived at a cemetery at Paris suburban area, the destination he was headed to after leaving the hospital. He approached a small chapel at the middle of the area and looked around its vicinity for a while. He didn't hesitate; so as soon as he arrived at the building, he slightly drew out Black Sabbath and pressed his thumb against its razor-sharp blade. He lifted his bleeding finger, took the metal talon and put it on his right palm.

He waited.

He shook his head.

_Here goes…_

Alex pressed the bleeding thumb against the small object. Instantaneously the talon glowed bright red and the blinding light shone across the cemetery before turned into a narrow beam that shot through the night sky. A violent surge of power coursed through his vein and flowed down his leg into the ground, shattering the ground around him. It disappeared, and the talon no longer shot red beam and reverted to its glowing state, pulsing like a heartbeat.

The necklace was clenched. It was worn around the neck again. Black Sabbath was withdrawn and brought over his face. He gazed into the blade and saw a reflection of a redheaded girl standing behind him. A look of surprise came across his face.

_Who is the girl? What is she doing here?_

"Are you the one who has summoned me?"

He turned around and glanced at the girl. "I didn't remember anything about summoning you. Please leave this place, you don't belong here," he told her.

The tank top, denim-wearing girl who had her red hair tied in twin ponytails pointed to the necklace. "Then explain how did you possess my belonging," she demanded.

He looked at the necklace and then back to the girl. "You don't know anything about this necklace!"

The girl, instead, grinned and pulled back her hand. She summoned a dark orb of energy from her hand and she brought it close to her face. "Oh, yes I do." With that declared she swung the energy-laden forward and sliced the air before her. Alex immediately recognized the attack well. Way too well.

"It's the Michael Blade!"

The assassin-knight jumped over the light blade. It missed completely and savaged the area it went across, slicing several tombstones and destroying the gate that kept the area confined. Alex landed and stared at the redheaded girl. "Who are you?"

"_Sacred Knight of Holy Orders, Alexander Hahn,"_ the girl spoke in deep tone.

He couldn't believe it at all. He recognized that voice! And he instantly identified the murderous aura that was coming from the eyes when she glared at him. "It cannot be! You… you're…"

"_We meet again, Alexander."_


	25. Chapter 25: Meet Again

**Heart of Melting Blood  
Legend of the Moonlight  
Written by:** Lone Wolf NEO  
**Conceived by:** Lone Wolf NEO

**Author's note:** Guilty Gear is copyrighted by Sammy Studios whereas TPYE-MOON holds the right over all games under the company's label: Tsukihime, FATE, etc, etc, etc…. Lone Wolf NEO does not own any or all real-life features or whatever facts featured in this story. He does, however, own the copyright to all his original ideas in this fiction. The author would really appreciate it if readers do not plagiaries everything inside this story without his knowledge.

**Chapter 25  
Meet Again**

The Gear War. Better known to some people as the Crusades, the war had savaged the planet for over 150 years when a man known to history only as That Man created an army of Gears, men and beasts improved from physical strength by fusing their DNA with elements of magic, and unleashed the worst nightmare mankind ever faced. Justice, the archetype Gear who soon assumed the role of Gear commander, declared hostilities against mankind that would later lead to the establishment of the Sacred Orders of Holy Knights. Humans from all levels fought side by side against their Gear adversaries, and for one and a half century both sides came to a stalemate.

Then Sol Badguy, the one who was credited with the original Gear Project, confronted Justice. Yielding the Fuuenken, one of the eight Seals created to counteract the power of Gears, the former knight of the Holy Orders and the Red Queen of Gear Army clashed in the bloodiest, most mortal battle to take place upon Earth. The war, which nobody knew how long it lasted, ended when the Corrupted Flame slain the Queen before the Stairways of Heaven. With the death of the Queen, all Gears previously under her control were ceased off action, and their fate was forever sealed as the losers. Gradually, the world recovered from the war and people started rebuilding their life that once lost to the hands of Gears.

Yet there was another war forgotten by time and lost its significance in the course of history. It was the kind of war which offered everything but remembrance. It was a war only a few would be aware of. It was so forbidden the Sacred Knights of Holy Orders avoided discussion of such a topic, and Gears dared not mentioning of. This war would be nothing more than a myth told and narrated by travelling storytellers.

Or so it was.

x-x-x-x-x

"It… it cannot be! You!"

"_Sacred Knight of Holy Orders, Alexander Hahn. We meet again."_

Alex was in sheer surprise. It had been ten years since he last met her, the Red Queen of Gear Messiah who had, ironically spared her humankind enemy and left him to live. The particular memory remained as fresh as it ever was, and how could a knight accept the truth of being given another chance of living by the most dreaded of all enemies? It was the Queen _herself_, for Heaven's sake, and he knew exactly just how vengeful she toward her creators was.

And yet he was doubtful. How could a young teenage who had a promising future ahead of her be Justice?

"_What's the matter, Alexander Hahn?"_ the girl in question asked. _"Surprised that we finally meet again? I bet you are, because after all this is what you've been waiting for. Isn't it?"_

"I'm afraid _surprised_ isn't the proper word," Alex spoke, pointing Black Sabbath at the girl to emphasize his words. "Prove me that you really are Justice."

The girl took it as an unpleasant attempt of mockery. "_I'm being ridiculed because I am Justice?"_ Nevertheless she still sported a conceited grin and summoned a dark orb from her hand. _"Ah, I see. I was wondering whether you'd recognize me in this form," _she spoke and clenched the orb between her fingers. _"Very well, I shall have your wish granted."_

The girl crushed the orb. The globe of sinister blue disintegrated, and torrents of energy force swept through the land before to envelop the girl. Alex was pushed by the energy flow full of murderous intention but he held on. Covering his eyes, he glanced at the girl who just laughed, whilst the cobalt energy wave encircled her body before it engulfed her entirely.

The knight was knocked back. This time he was overwhelmed by the knock-back force that he crashed on a boulder. He watched in horror, as armoured plates materialized from thin air and began encasing the girl. She was levitated off the ground, and more shells of similar properties appeared and combined to shape the form every human knight had feared.

The transformation was complete. The girl slowly descended to the ground, and stood firm on her foot. Alex could not - would not - believe his eyes. There she was, after a decade of absence, standing in all her might and pride of a Gear Archetype, the reason she was created and existed to roam the land. Although missing several features, most noticeable being the infamous crotch spike, she still had it. _It_, that made Justice _Justice_. The inevitable sense of hatred against humanity, the pure, unadulterated force of the Gear and the sure death that would haunt those who dared to deny her of existence.

Immediately Alex opened his stance. _This is it_, he thought. _Tonight, this conflict will end once and for all._

Then he lowered his battle pose.

**HEAVEN!**

Justice summoned a light blade out of her hand.

**OR!**

They were ready.

**HELL!**

The curtains were finally raised.

**DUEL 1!**

For the fight of the lifetime.

**LET'S ROCK!**

Alex pounced forward. Like a hungry wolf, he dashed across the field. He screamed a battle cry and swung Black Sabbath at Justice. The _kodachi_ was stopped dead by the light blade when it was close to cut through her waist. Alex spun on his feet and aimed the blade at Justice's right shoulder. It crashed onto the light blade again.

"_Has your strength weakened, Alexander Hahn?"_ Justice counterattacked, and her Valkyrie Arc found its way through the air. It hit the ground, but it missed its target. Justice turned around and saw Alex in a crouching position. An uppercut kick hit her midsection, and Justice was knocked away several feet in the air. She managed to somersault, and being suspended in midair, she swung the light blade at Alex. The Michael Sword missed, creating a crevasse as it went through the ground. She landed on one side of the ravine, so did Alex who landed on the other side.

"_Impressive,"_ Justice praised in a teasing tone. _"You are still as lethal as you once were. I wonder whether your skill hasn't rusted after ten years of… aimless carnage against your kind and ours."_

Alex shrugged. Closing his eyes, he lowered Black Sabbath to his waist and eased his free fist. "Then what do you think of this derailed knight who has spent his last ten years in bloodbath and extreme solitude?"

"_I'd think of you more as an assassin than a knight,"_ Justice answered. _"Now show me what you've still got to offer me, Alexander Hahn."_

"Then I won't have to worry of fighting you as a Holy Knight!"

Alex pounced at Justice for the second time. This time, he disappeared in thin air and reappeared behind the Red Queen, faster than an eye could blink. Justice had to jump away before a fatal blow found its target on her neck. She swung the light blade at Alex, but the assassin already counterattacked with a close-in kick. She was sent away from him and was knocked further into the air when a roundhouse kick banged onto her breastplate. Alex followed on, and a hard clash between Justice's spine armour and Black Sabbath caused the archetype to crash into the ground.

Alex landed on the ground. He waited, as Justice hesitated to stand up after the rough crash-landing. "Is that it?" he uttered and withdrew a blade concealed in his sleeve. "Is that what the infamous Gear Messiah has got to show?"

Justice stood back. She was taken by surprise. Her golden eyes were now pulsating in anger. She looked at a long scratch on her shoulder blade. _"Are you telling me that my strength has weakened, Alexander?"_ she demanded.

"I don't care," Alex spoke. "The way you fought just now was unlike what you had shown me 10 years ago. Where has your strength gone to, Justice? Where is it!"

He was not giving the Red Queen any chance to prepare. In a speed even Justice could not believe, Alex teleported behind her and slammed both the blades onto her. Justice was quicker in term of defence, and she deflected the attack with a Strike Back Tail. Alex jumped over her and delivered a 540-Revolution kick at her head. Again, Justice did a Strike Back Tail, but this time she released a napalm bomb from her shoulder armour. It detonated upon contact, and Alex was knocked away.

"_What's the matter, Alexander?"_ Justice asked. _"Why do you want me to use all my power against you? Why?"_ The question was answered by another 540 Revolution, and it came so fast Justice had no time to react. The kick hit and sent Justice far away from the ground. She managed to air-recover and counterattacked with a Michael Blade; it missed, and she watched as Alex leapt away from her and landed on a boulder.

"Why?" the assassin knight spoke. "Why do you want to know? Why do you want to care? You care of nothing! You did not care of my feeling when you gave me that free victory!" He frowned, and he bit his lower lip. "Had you ever thought of my feeling when you left me in the battlefield without finishing the battle? Had you ever considered your own feeling when you offered me a truce and abandoned me afterwards? Had you!"

Justice frowned. _So that's it,_ she thought. _He refused to acknowledge the victory I gave him, and now he demands a rematch. A fair rematch._

She smirked. _"If a rematch is what you want, and a fair victory is what you seek for, Alexander,"_ she uttered. _"Then prepare to face the consequences."_

"I have no regrets if I have to die for the victory," Alex replied. "_En garde!"_

x-x-x-x-x

Sol yawned. That night was felt awfully boring. He had nothing to do at time being -- Kagura was absent (she went to downtown Paris to buy groceries with Satsuki), Athena and the Gang were busy enjoying the Saturday Night, his companions from the Holy Orders time (Ky and Alex) were nowhere to be seen. He was alone, sitting on the lone bench while his ears were plugged with songs from Queen.

Sol turned his attention to the _miko_ girl. She was peacefully sleeping, her head rested upon his left arm. She was mumbling of someone's name in low voice, unconscious of her hand that automatically crawled up his arm and clung onto it. Sol was aware of what she was doing, as he could feel the girl's warm touch separated from his skin only by the sleeve of his Holy Orders uniform. He could only chuckle and proceeded to stare at the starless sky.

Lia woke up, stirred by outside disturbance. Sol turned back to her, who was rubbing her eyes. She looked around her and then at Sol, who had a big smile carved upon his face. "Hey, you fell asleep."

The girl put her hands upon her face. "Oh, no! I'm not supposed to sleep at this hour," she moaned, even as her face started to redden. "I'm sorry, Mister Sol. I'm so sorry."

Sol laughed. "Hey! What's wrong with falling asleep, huh?" he asked. "You look kind of cute when you were asleep." He paused. Then he chuckled. "Sort of."

The tease caused Lia to blush even more. Furiously she growled at the Corrupted Flame and turned away. "Why are you teasing me, Mister Sol?" she demanded.

"What? Can't I do that?" Sol suggested. The answer caused Lia to pout even more, and Sol just shook his head at her reaction. "Come on, I was just joking. Damn, you're so like him when it comes to joke."

Lia said nothing. She turned around, furiously upset by the taunt. Sol laughed at her reaction, and this was replied by a hard slap upon his elbow. "Mister Sol, stop it!" she squealed in protest.

Surprised by the respond, Sol still kept his teasing grin intact. "You better stop doing that, or I'll tell your brother of what you did to me," he warned.

"Oh, yeah? Then what will the little girl you've been accompanying will say?" she replied.

Sol twitched. _Damn this little sister of that kid,_ he growled. With a sarcastic grin, he replied, "so? What are you going to do about it? Don't say I didn't know how _possessive_ you toward your brother are."

Lia almost broke out in anger and swung a fist at him when a call distracted them. Sol looked at the direction of the call and saw the sight of Athena pacing towards him. "What the hell?"

"Hey, Sol, have you seen Justine?" Athena asked.

"Justine? No, I didn't," he replied.

"What are you talking of, Sol?" Athena asked again. "She was supposed to bug you right now, wasn't she?"

Sol's eyebrow twitched. "You say what?"

Athena growled and folded her arms. "I thought Justine was with you just now, Sol!"

"Look." So saying, Sol put the iPod aside and stood up. "Do I look like the person who wants to care of her?" he insisted, emphasizing the question by putting his fists upon his waist.

"Why, yes you are, Mister Badguy," Athena replied, mimicking Sol's pose. "Now tell me, what were you and this girl talking just now?"

_**BOOM!**_

The three of them jumped off their feet in shock. Lia lost control and slipped off her feet. Sol caught her in his arms before she fell to the ground. Athena lost balance but caught up with Sol. "What was that!" Athena exclaimed.

"I don't know," Sol said. "But I sense a terrible omen coming in."

His sense proved to be more than just right. From faraway, two faint shadows appeared from nowhere and jumped into the sky, clashing on each other in violent collision course. A deafening battle cry was clearly heard echoing through the night sky, as the two shadows exchanged fists and kicks in the middle of the air. The two figures, then, crashed on the ground and resumed their duel, ignoring the three people who stood at the very end of the area.

"This is not good," Sol uttered. "This is not CENSORED good."

Athena pointed to one of the shadows. "Isn't that…?"

"NO! It can't be!" Lia exclaimed.

x-x-x-x-x

Alexander was knocked back. The Queen was pushing him with her Michael Blade, and the two warriors were skidding across the field. Alexander made a decisive action as they reached the end of the field by kicking Justice out of the way. Then he performed an Inferno Sever that knocked the Archetype Gear further skyward. He made no attempt to counterattack after executing the fire-based, Greed Sever-look-alike; he jumped to the opposite side of the field and watched, as Justice made recovery and landed back on the ground.

The battle was furious. Already the warriors' outfit were torn out, albeit Justice's was not visible to naked eyes. Alexander held his right arm; it was hit by Michael Blade during the aerial ballet of death. His head also bleed and dizzy, resulting from the bump he had while counterattacking with Inferno Sever. He screamed in agony and smacked his head hard, trying to get rid of the nuisance.

Justice, on the other hand, was not so tired. She was a Gear, after all. Her strength knew no fatigue, her energy was limitless, her power was beyond apprehensive. The only thing that would -- and _could_ -- stop her reign was someone more powerful than her. It was clear that she was winning the first round.

But she was not impressed.

Alexander was clearly not in the same level as her. His strength was roughly equal to that of third- and second-class Gears, in which he would have no problem dealing with them. He would be stalemated if he fought against first-class Gears, and would have no chance if he was pitted against superior-class Gears. Gear Queen? She needed not to say it.

"Are you ready?"

"_What?"_

Before she could do anything, Justice was entangled. She found herself tied up in metal strings appearing from nowhere. She tried to get herself free from the strings but the strings, almost invisible to the naked eyes, entangled her even more, preventing her from moving. She looked at the assassin knight and saw him holding the sword in backhand position.

"You seem to miss something," he uttered and teleported to her back, "we assassins are trained to harness the full effectiveness of any weapon, even if it's as simple as strings." So saying, the strings became taut, shivered with _chi_ and started surging around the Gear commander.

"_You're…!"_

"Ignite."

He jumped away. At the same time the _chi_-enveloped strings exploded. Justice was knocked off the ground, suspended in the middle of the air for a couple of seconds and crashed. The black-clothed warrior jumped a couple of feet away from the downed Queen and landed on a boulder erecting in the middle of the field.

Justice recovered. She took a glance at Alexander, who was standing in his pride of the assassin. She watched at the man for a very long time, figuring out what drove him to this level. She wanted to know what motivated this very man who was credited for the killing of 100 Gears in Siberia on Thanksgiving Day Offensive

_Determination._

That was what pushed Alexander this far. He was determined to finish the battle the way it supposed to be -- a fair, even rematch. A duel he would not mind lose if it was done according to the way of the warrior. A fight she, too, would not mind losing if it was done in the righteous way.

Justice grinned. She believed she had found the answer. Slowly, not hurrying herself, she stood up and made her standing firm on the ground. She regenerated her battle armour, piece after piece, and recovered her health to full level. At the same time, a faint Latin chorus was heard echoing in the sky. It was now clear that the scenario would transform into a new form.

A battle of epic proportion was about to take place.

"_So, Alexander, are you ready?"_ she asked, even as she charged herself with energy.

Alexander nodded and lowered his pose. "I'm ready whenever you are, Justice."

_Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi  
Dona eis requiem  
Qui tollis peccata mundi..._

A battle cry shattered the sky. Alexander pounced from the boulder and hurled himself toward Justice. Justice did the same and pounced at the oncoming knight. A deafening noise occurred when the twos collided, and the shockwave that was unleashed knocked everything away from the field.

Alexander made an uppercut kick. It hit Justice on the chin and sent her floating several feet off the ground. He jumped along with her and seized her helmet; he dived back into the ground and drove the Queen's head into dirt. Justice counterattacked with Strike Back Tail and knocked Alexander out of the way.

_Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi  
Dona eis requiem…_

"_EAT THIS!"_

Justice fired an Imperial Ray. The fully charged overdrive destroyed the ground around her and pushed Alexander further skyward. She jumped out of the crater and struck the assassin knight with Michael Sword; it was blocked, and Justice fired another Imperial Ray. Alexander was hit and crashed into the ground, but managed to evade the dive punch.

"_Where do you think you're going, Alexander Hahn?" _

Justice snatched Alexander before he could escape. She tossed him to the air and fired another Imperial Ray. The knight was quicker and blocked the overdrive. He cringed at the impact he was enduring; it was like trying to stop an oncoming locomotive with a finger.

_With a finger._

"This cannot stop me!"

Alexander performed a Psych Burst Counter. It nullified the energy wave of the Imperial Wave, and he took the opportunity by shooting strings at Justice. The Gear Commander easily sliced through the strings. _It was a decoy! _The assassin knight was no longer there. Where could that knight be, she uttered while looking around her.

Out of nowhere, two blades sliced through her and caused her to stagger. Justice was stunned, not believing what was happening to her. It was only after she saw a shadowy figure crouching in front of her, swords held in backhand position, that she realized what had happened.

_Agnus Dei, qui tollis  
Peccata mundi  
Dona eis requiem…_

"Secret Assassination Technique -- Double Swords Dance."

Justice was knocked off. The overdrive had damaged her body armour by 55 percent. She had no time to recover as Alexander was already waiting behind her, interlocking her with his twin swords. The two warriors remained afloat; for how long, nobody knew.

_Lux aeterna luceat eis, Domine  
Domine cum sanctis tuis in aeternum,  
Quia pius es…  
Agnus Dei, Dona eis requiem…_

"This will be the end, Justice," Alexander uttered and pressed the blades against her body. "Victory belongs to the righteous one. You cannot deny it."

She laughed. Justice was laughing. This surprised Alexander. _What is she laughing at?_

"_Oh, really?"_ So saying, she knocked the assassin knight with Psych Burst. She twisted and somersaulted -- an amazing feat, considering the body armour she had been donning all the time -- and sliced the air with Michael Blade. Alexander did not see it coming and had to block; the impact was too much and he was sent crashing into a boulder.

"_Victory doesn't belong to the righteous one only, Alexander!"_ Justice shouted and proceeded to attack Alexander. _"Victory is the ultimate price for any warrior, and winner shall claim all! Including the live of its opponent!"_

x-x-x-x-x

Sol, Athena and Lia were left speechless. They did not know what to do, and they could not do anything at the moment. The battle was too dangerous to interfere, yet Alexander was in risk of dying. They could not stand and do nothing, while the knight was beaten to death by the Red Queen.

"We must do something!" Athena exclaimed and transformed into her battle form. "Alex-_san_ will be killed if the battle continues!"

"Damn right we are," Sol said and charged up. "Why does this have to happen?"

Lia opened her stance. "I cannot allow my brother to die!"

"Hold your ground!"

The three warriors halted. Sol looked at the source of the voice and saw several people scrambling toward them. They recognized them as Dizzy and Company, and they were rushing toward them.

"We cannot interfere this battle," Rheo uttered as they approached the trio. "We must stay and watch. This is their battle, not ours."

"What the hell do you mean we can't interfere!" Sol demanded. "What do you know about it! That kid has no stand chance against Justice! We must stop them!"

"Mister Rheo knew this would happen, that's why he wanted us to stop," Dizzy said.

"And what the hell am I supposed to do? Sitting like a duck while a kid who thinks he can defeat a Gear Commander is outwitted like no tomorrow?" Sol replied.

"Please, Sol, you must let Rheo explain!" the Gear woman pleaded.

At the same time, the League of FATE arrived. Saber, who was leading the group, was appalled by the magnitude of the battle. "The battle is unlike anything I've seen," the female warrior uttered.

"What are we going to do, Saber?" Shirou asked.

Saber withdrew her sword -- aptly named Excalibur -- and opened her stance. "If we must fight, then fight is the answer."

"Damn! Are we supposed to sit and act like an idiot?" Archer insisted and withdrew his bow of light.

"I may not know Mister Hahn long enough to become friend, but I cannot let any harm befall upon him," Rider uttered and took out her chained mace.

"Damn right Rider-_chan_ is!" Illiya exclaimed and pointed to the battlefield. "Berserker, get yourself ready!"

Rheo lifted his hand, stopping the FATE warriors on their track. "Everyone, this battle is not ours," he spoke. "All we can do is to stay and let them make the decision."

Sol was pissed off. He lifted his Fireseal and pointed at Rheo's face. "You know nothing about Justice, boy," he spoke. "She'll stop at nothing to achieve total victory. She'll kill anyone just to become the ultimate winner. Don't you know anything about it!"

"Like I said, Mister Badguy," Rheo replied in a calm tone, "we have no right to decide the outcome of the battle. Now, if you could lower that sword and listen to what I'm going to explain."

"AH!"

They looked at the direction Athena was pointing at. Justice was seen crossing her arms, and deployed shoulder cannons. "It's the Gamma Ray!"

Justice emitted a loud roar and fired both cannons. The super-powerful overdrive was aimed at Alexander, but its shockwave was sufficient to knock Lia and Illiya off their feet. Alexander, who had recovered from the multiple combo attacks of Justice's, was too dizzied to see the Gamma Ray coming.

"BROTHER ALEX!"

It was too late. The Gamma Ray hit. Everything within its attack radius was eliminated. The blue ray of death kept pumping out of Justice's shoulder cannons, as if it was firing for eternity. It was very clear that Alexander would not survive it.

The Gamma Ray stopped. Justice disposed of the cannons and flexed. She scanned the area for her opponent and saw nothing from the debris. She grinned and lifted a fist to the air. _"Revenge leads to hatred, hatred leads to damnation and damnation leads to revenge. It takes a sinful being with deranged soul to complete the cycle for one's own benefit,"_ she uttered.

Lia fell to her knees. She could not believe what had happened _right_ before her eyes. She cringed, trembled and broke into a heart-breaking wail, shouting "NOO! BROTHER ALEX!" on top of her breath.

Sol tightened his punch. "This is too much for him," he uttered and stepped into the battlefield. "I never wanted this to happen again since that day, but looks like I have to face her again. Who's with me?"

"I'm with you," Saber said and stepped forward.

"Count me in," Archer uttered.

Rider was next. "I will assist you."

"Yeah! We can't just sit!" Illiya exclaimed and ordered Berserker to go with them. "Go Berserker!"

"No! Don't do it!"

Saber already jumped into the battlefield. Yielding the Excalibur over her shoulder, she pounced toward Justice and swung the sword at her face. Justice effortlessly blocked the attack, but found herself bombarded by energy balls fired by Athena. She counterattacked with Napalm Bombs, and was later attacked by Archer. Berserker jumped at her, swinging the gigantic iron club at the Red Queen. Justice evaded fired Imperial Ray at the attackers, and found herself facing him.

"Sol Badguy!"

The Corrupted Flame cursed at her. "(CENSORED) you, Justice! Do you know what you just did?" he roared and slammed her with Tyrant Rave. He Action Charged and pounced toward Justice. "Do you know what you just did to that kid?"

"I didn't have any desire to fight with you, Sol Badguy!" Justice cried out.

"(CENSORED) you, Justice! TYRANT RAVE OMEGA!" So saying, the Corrupted Gear slammed the Fireseal into the Queen's face, punched her on the midsection and tossed a gigantic fireball that sent her flying across the field.

Shirou stepped into the battlefield. He summoned the Marble Phantasm and send Justice into an unknown dimension. The Red Queen was startled and tried to escape the 'dimension prison', but there was no way out. She turned around and saw Saber jumping at her; this time, she was wielding a light sword that reached the endless limit of the sky. She blocked the attack, but it was too much for even the strongest Gear and she was pushed across the ground. She kicked Saber away and fired another Imperial Ray, but it missed. Rider stepped in and slammed the mace into her face; the helmet shattered and revealed her glowing, red eyes. The purple-haired Servant continued attacking the Red Queen and jumped away from her when she attempted Michael Sword.

The Marble Phantasm dissipated. Justice was back in the Real World, and she was surrounded. She was tired, worn out, and was pushed to the limit. On her left was Saber and Rider. Standing behind the Red Queen was Archer and Athena, aiming their weapons of light at her. On her right was Berserker, too eager to crush his enemy into pieces.

And in front of her was _him._ Her archrival, her eternal enemy, her own kind who took the different path, the man who donned the name Sol Badguy.

And he was pissed off.

"Either you stop this battle, or you're dead," Sol demanded and charged up.

"Why are you doing this, Justine!" Athena shouted. "Alex-_san's_ got nothing to do with you!"

"Mister Hahn is our friend, and we're just about to nurture the friendship," Rider spoke. "Why must you ruin it?"

"I can't allow you to go any further," Saber said.

Sol Badguy screamed out in Dragon Install. Saber materialized the light sword again. Rider tossed the mace. Athena and Archer fired the projectiles. Berserker charged forward. All of them were determined to put an end to the unwanted battle.

"ENOUGH!"

The attacking warriors halted. They looked at the direction of the voice, and they saw it. The assassin knight, who they thought could never make it through the Gamma Ray, was standing. Weak as he was, he still managed to sport a smile.

"Thank you for being concerned, everyone," said the assassin knight, "but this battle has nothing to do with any of you. It's… something between Justice and I. Personal."

"Personal? You call killing people a personal matter!" Sol roared. "What kind of shit is this!"

Alexander, instead, chuckled. "Yes, Sol. I know it's too much of a personal thing," he uttered. "But can't you at least leave us alone?"

"But Justine will kill you!" Athena insisted.

"Either one of us wins, or both of us die trying," Alexander told her. "Ten years have passed, and I haven't even paid the debt. Please, everyone, leave this battle to us."

They were reluctant. Sol, especially, refused to acknowledge the request. "Think of your significant ones first, kid! Are you going to risk everything you have to win this duel?" he shouted.

"I have, and I don't regret the consequences," Alexander answered. "It's just that I'm sad for unable to finish this battle a bit sooner." He turned to Lia, who was looking at him in shock. "Lia, don't worry about me. Big brother will be alright, okay?"

"Will you, brother Alex?" she asked and lifted her palm to the air.

The assassin knight nodded and lifted his palm, matching its position with Lia's palm. "I will." Then he stepped forward and faced Justice. "Don't worry, this will only take one final attack," he said and blindfolded himself.

"_Just about time this battle reaches its peak,"_ Justice uttered and emitted a suppressed red aura, in which Alexander responded with his own variation of red aura.

_Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi  
Dona eis requiem…_

The warriors had no other choice. They withdrew from the battlefield and left. Now, it was up to Alexander Hahn, the lone wolf of Holy Orders, and Justice, the Red Queen of Gear Messiah to finish whatever they had started. The full moon was shining over the ground, illuminating them with its silvery ray and adding the thrill to the atmosphere. The rest of the people could only wait, see and pray.

"_So, are you ready?" _Justice asked.

"Do I have to repeat myself, Justice?" Alexander replied. "If I'm not ready, how am I going to finish this battle?"

"_Because you are," _Justice laughingly said.

He laughed as well and withdrew his twin swords, holding them in awkward backhand position. "Because I am? Oh, that's right. Now I get it." He, then, crouched very low to the ground. "Fetch my attack, Justice! Don't hold back!"

Justice crossed her arms. _"Prepare yourself, Alexander Hahn!"_

Alexander hurled forward. Justice dashed towards him. Like two warriors of medieval time, they were rushing toward each other in a head-on, all-out, final attack.

_Agnus Dei, qui tollis  
Peccata mundi  
Aeternam dona eis Domine…_

"INSTANT…"

_Et lux perpetua luceat eis…_

"…KILL!"

x-x-x-x-x

Silence. The spectators were in shock. What happened just now? Everything was taking place too fast for their eyes to catch up. Where were they? What happened to them? Who was the winner?

"There!"

They looked at where Athena was pointing. The two warriors were backing each other; Alexander was crouching behind Justice, while Justice was posing in her post-Instant Kill stance. Both of them were immobile. Both of them were not saying anything. It was as if they were suspended in time, two living statues erecting in the middle of the battlefield of fate.

Alexander stood up. He braced himself for a long time. For awhile, everyone was in relief.

"Ugh…"

He let go off his swords. He dropped to the ground. Blood sprang from his wounds like light from a lamp, a red fountain of liquid life. He wavered on his feet, firmed for a moment, and then toppled. Justice snatched him up in her arms before his body could hit the ground -- before the people could get to him.

"You lose, Alexander," she said, her voice began to soften. "Again."

Alexander was gasping for the want of air. He survived the X Laser, yet it was only just. "Y… yes. It seems I have lost," he uttered, trying to hold onto the Queen's body. "I never saw this coming… I thought I could return to them as a winner. Looks like… it didn't happen…"

Justice opened the blindfold and looked down at his face. "Satisfied?" she asked. "Are you satisfied with this achievement, Alexander?"

"Very much so," he answered, trying to smile at the Queen. "Though… victory is what I originally wanted, I… didn't mind if this is what I have to accept. As long… as long as…"

"It's done fair and square," Justice spoke, finishing his words.

Alexander laughed, though his mouth was choking with blood. "Hey, you still remember the quote?"

The helmet was disintegrating, although not fully, and she was seen smiling. An honest, warm smile which he never saw before. "You were the one who taught me of that quote ten years ago. Remember the Siberian Field Massacre? The one where you single-handedly slain all my minions? I was there when we met for the first time, and you told me that quote. I kept it inside my mind, even to this day."

"Okay, now I get it," he uttered, chuckling to himself. "Strange, isn't it? For someone who's as vengeful toward mankind as the Red Queen, you're one amazing… woman." Justice was startled, and said nothing but listen as he continued on. "I… somewhat… envy you. You're powerful, you're mean, you're merciless, but at the same time… you're so kind. How… should I explain this?"

He turned around. Justice noticed a drop of tears flowing down his cheek. He was crying, she pondered, but why? "You remind me to her. She was of the same kind as you are. Strong, inspiring, charismatic, and…"

Justice discarded her metal gloves. She put her palm onto his forehead. "I don't understand what you're talking of, Aletand what you're talking of, Ale too much. You are injured, and you better get a lot of rest after this." She paused, then she grinned. "However, if you wish to have rematch with me, I'm looking forward to seeing that. No motive, no agenda, nothing. Just a match to prove who's better between us."

"Now you're offering me a rematch. How ironic," he uttered.

"I couldn't help it. And I don't even understand why I'm doing this."

"I see. Hey, Justice."

"What is it, Alexander?"

He looked back at her. This time, he smiled. No longer it was filled with anger or revenge, just a regular, an average Joe's smile. "Can you do me a favour?"

She, too, smiled. Justice took his trembling and held it as lightly as she could. "What is it, Alexander? Speak, and I shall have it granted."

"Will you…"

x-x-x-x-x

Sion woke up. She blinked many times when she found what happened to her; she had fallen asleep, and was lying inside Alexander's ward. She rubbed her sleepy eyes, mumbled in her native language and went to sleep again. "Please…" she moaned and pulled the blanket over her body. "It's still early in the morning… give me a break…"

She felt a pair of arms interlocking her body. Startled at first, and gasped at the warmth touch of the hands around her breasts, she looked at her right. She was surprised. Alexander, her newfound husband, was seen sleeping, peacefully dozing next to her. She never realized he would look after her all night long. She stared at his boyish face, wondering whether he had been with her since last night.

She giggled. "You're so cute in that face, Alex," she whispered and traced a finger down his hardened cheek. "I wonder what you were dreaming of last night." She nestled herself beneath his arms and clung onto him -- only to find herself holding onto his Holy Orders uniform. "Hey. You're still wearing it?" she protested. The man did not notice it and continued dozing, his arms automatically wrapped about the young woman's body. Sion mumbled at his ignorance, before decided to forget it.

As softly as she could, she brushed her lips upon his mouth. Then she moved closer toward his body, and whispered to his ears, "I love you, Alex."

x-x

She was alone, and she was back to her regular self. Justice, now taking her human form and adopting the name Justine Harrier, was standing under the magnolia tree. She wished to be left alone and away from disturbance, as she was deep in her thought.

Her eyes rolled over to the clear blue heavens. She was wondering of what Alexander meant by "will you lend me some of your regenerative power? I don't want to wake her up in this condition," and its reason that led to her decision to heal the assassin knight with her force.

(Or rather, The Will and the Word. As soon as Alexander told her the request, he fell unconscious and Justice reverted to her human form. She had to ask for Rheo Farren to do the job for her, since she could not use her own power for the task.)

Nevertheless, she was satisfied. The 10-year-old debt of revenge had been paid, and everybody was satisfied with the outcome. Now, all she could only do was to wait and see for the future.

"Justine!"

She turned to the direction of the voice. Athena was waving wildly to her, accompanied by Sol, Kagura and Lia. "Justine, aren't you coming with us? We're going to the mall!"

She grinned. Maybe there was still space for her to have faith in humanity, even if it was as frail as an onion skin. Maybe there was still hope for human and Gear to live in peace.

She turned to the group. Correcting her turtleneck shirt, she made haste and ran toward them -- Sol, on top of that. "Sol-_chan_! Did you miss me?" she asked even as she hurled herself at the Corrupted Gear.

"Let go off me!" Sol roared. "And when will you stop calling me with that -_chan_ suffix?"

She eased off the embrace. "Aw, what's the matter, Sol-_chan_? Are you mad to see me again?"

Sol was struggling to keep himself alive, despite the ever-killing embrace of death the energetic woman was giving. "Hell yes I am!" He tossed her to his side and put his fists upon his waist. "Alright, Justine, you better spend your time with us. You owed us a lot since last night."

She squealed in protest and seized Sol's neck again. "Don't be so angry at me, Sol-_chan_! I promise I won't make you mad again! I promise!" she pleaded, rubbing her cheek against his.

"Stop doing it!"

"NO! I will not stop until I say stop!"


	26. Chapter 26: This Be Free For All

**Heart of Melting Blood  
Legend of the Moonlight  
Written by:** Lone Wolf NEO  
**Conceived by:** Lone Wolf NEO

**Author's note:** Guilty Gear is copyrighted by Sammy Studios whereas TPYE-MOON holds the right over all games under the company's label: Tsukihime, FATE, etc, etc, etc…. Lone Wolf NEO does not own any or all real-life features or whatever facts featured in this story. He does, however, own the copyright to all his original ideas in this fiction. The author would really appreciate it if readers do not plagiaries everything inside this story without his knowledge.

**Author's note:** this chapter contains silliness, Internet meme, a lot of reference to a certain Internet community, and even event crashers. You have been forewarned.

**Chapter 26  
This Be Free-For-All**

He stood in silence. Alexander found himself returning to the place he wished the least to revisit. He slightly frowned; it had been 10 years, and yet the land never showed its sign of aging. It was as if he had left the place only yesterday.

_Summer has come and past  
The innocent can never last  
Wake me up when September ends…_

Standing next to him was John, who was looking at the cemetery in understanding. Being raised in a religious environment, the captain of the Jellyfish Pirates knew what the man in black uniform was facing and made a salute to the grave. "I wish I could bring some flowers, Mr. Hahn," he uttered.

"You shouldn't force yourself, Mr. John," Alexander replied. "But I'll highly appreciate your offerings."

_Like my father's come to pass  
Seven years have gone so fast  
Wake me up when September ends…_

John grinned. He patted Alexander's shoulder and headed to Mayship. "I'll see what I can give."

Alexander nodded. "Thanks, Mr. John."

_Here comes the rain again  
Falling from the stars  
Drenched in my pain again  
Becoming who we are…_

With the Jellyfish pirate leaving, Alexander took his time and knelt next to the tombstone. He read the engraved message on the stone that read:

"_In loving memory of Hikaru, the Gear Handmaiden (2168-2172). You may have been gone, but your heart will always stay with us."_

He smiled. He put down the bouquet next to the tombstone. He backed off and gave out a salute. "I have to go," he uttered, "but I'll promise to visit you as often as I can." He turned around and headed to Mayship waiting on the riverside.

_As my memory rests  
I'll never forget what I've lost  
Wake me up when September ends…_

He halted and glanced at the cemetery. "See you again, my first love."

x-x-x-x-x

_Somewhere, in a hot spring premise…_

"No way!" exclaimed the girls. "Is that true?"

"Yes, it is," shyly Sion replied. "I know it was so sudden, but… when Alex proposed me into marriage… I was so overwhelmed."

Dizzy quickly approached Sion. "Did he say anything when he asked you to marry him?" she asked, even as her eyes shone in disbelief.

Sion silently nodded. "He asked whether… I would stay with him for the rest of his life. Then…" She giggled, whilst childishly ran her hand through her lavender hair, now free of restrains. "Then I just said yes."

Dizzy let out a happy coo and took hold of Sion's hand. "I'm so happy to hear that. I hope both of you will live happily ever after."

Sion smiled and held her hands in return. "Thank you, Dizzy."

"Speaking of which," Arcueid uttered and observed the area around her, "it's been a while since we last had public gathering here. Sion wasn't with us, I think."

"Hot spring…" May sighed and massaged her tired shoulder. "It's kind of fun when girls like us are gathered in one place."

Hotaru laughed. "Girls? Some of us are married already, May-_chan_," she teasingly replied. "You, too."

May pouted. "Yes, I know some of us should've been called Mrs," she interjected. She looked around her and saw faces familiar to her in the area. "We have Arcueid, Dizzy-_chan_, Hotaru-_chan_, Hibiki, and Mai…"

"What is Hikki doing at this time, I wonder," the black-haired girl pondered and gazed into the night sky.

"We have Baiken with us…" May uttered.

Baiken was having a smoke with her trademark pipe when she glared at the camera. "What?"

"We also have Justine…"

"I missed Sol-_chan_…!" Justine whined, faking a cry. "He doesn't even care of my feeling!"

"And Athena too…"

"Me too…" Athena sobbed.

"Okay, I shouldn't continue counting these people," May said.

"What about me?" Kagura asked.

May turned to her. "Oh, I forgot about you," she said. "Ah, we also have our FATE colleagues with us right now."

Saber smiled at May. Rider nodded; the eyeglasses she wore, the isolated corner she was seating at, and the book Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy she was reading, reflected the very image of the purple-haired woman's hidden genius. Sakura giggled when May pointed at her. Illiya waved to May and jumped into the water, splashing Saber, Sakura and Rin with hot water.

"When are you getting married, Hibiki-_chan_?" The question gave the Takane heir a major impact that she blushed furiously. Hotaru laughed at the reaction and nudged her elbow against her waist. "Aw, come on! We're not going to laugh at you. You love Lone Wolf-_san_, don't you?"

"But I…" Hibiki nervously looked around her. The girls were already expecting for her answer. She laughed silly and fiddled with her fingers. "Well, we did discuss about our marriage, but Lone Wolf-_san_… seems to be pre-occupied with his works."

"What's the matter? Worried that someone else will get him first?" Dizzy asked. "O, I remember now. Mriya, Lone Wolf's ex-girlfriend. You can't ask him of marriage because you're worried that she might get angry at him."

"Right?" both Dizzy and Hotaru asked.

"_Chigau!"_ Hibiki exclaimed.

Lia was the quietest girl among the group. She was nervous, for the good reason. She had never been indulged in a public gathering, much less an open hot-spring session. Being raised under the watchful eyes of her brother and her custodian Valentino, the latter being the leader of the Dragoon Society, she led an isolated life, far from any contact with the outside world. This was her first ever outdoor experience, and she was thankful to be in women's presence; she easily got scared whenever she was with another man.

Arcueid giggled again. "You know what," she said, her eyes foxily glancing at the nervous _miko_ girl," I've been thinking of that girl since she joined us. For someone who's just 17 years old, she looks pretty well… grownup."

Lia realized the True Princess' hidden agenda when she looked at her. Zealously she covered her half-naked chest and growled at Arcueid. "Don't dare doing that to me," she demanded.

Arcueid, instead, laughed and waded toward Lia. "Aw, our sweetie doesn't want to have her beautiful body checked," she said. Her hands in the air, she took aim at Lia's body and made a devious laughter. "Come to mama, little girl."

"I'm not a little girl anymore!" Lia ran away from the vampire princess, but she was caught even before she got out of the water. She cried for help, trying to flee Arcueid's 'dangerous' embrace, whilst the rest of the girls blinked at Arcueid's body check-up.

"Is Arcueid always like that, Sion?" Hotaru asked.

Sion nodded. "Shiki always complains to me of Arcueid's… around-the-clock inspection." She looked at her bosom, held it and blushed. "Sort of."

Arcueid continued laughing. Her hands were already probing all over Lia's body, while her arms wrapped about her in a tight embrace, preventing her from escaping. "I never thought our Lia-chan is one well-developed girl. Lolita face with big breasts… no wonder why Alex's lucky to have a pretty little sister."

"Why are you suddenly involving my brother?" Lia demanded.

Arcueid just giggled. Her hands were now over Lia's breasts, and she was too eager to have them examined. "Now let's see whether she can make a perfect bride."

"No! Not there! Don't do it! Don't do it… AH!"

x-x

"Oh crap." Bridget growled at the excitement of the female group at the other side of the hot spring. He and his male companions were separated from them by only a frail bamboo screen that stretched across the area, and he was trying to make himself comfortable in the water. "When I thought I could spend the evening alone…"

"Come on, Bridget," Anji interjected and fanned himself with Zetsu. "It's not bad to have outdoor hot spring once in a while."

Bridget glowered at Anji. "But is it a good idea when guys sit here, while girls next to us having fun in the hot spring?"

"Why, yes it is Mr. Bridget," Anji answered. "Besides, you were the one who was very eager to peek at them."

"Boy, you don't know how fun it is to sit here, listening to their chatters and giggles and frolics," Iori said as to reinforce Anji's statement. "Your precious wife is with them."

"I concur," Shiki nodded.

"Oh, yeah? " Bridget questioned the men. "Then what if they have their body examined?"

_Body examined?_

The sexually challenged Brit, the Japanese who claimed to be too sexy for his shirt, the Tohno heir whose sister have a mixed-up chemistry every time he was around, and the inheritor of both Yagami and Orochi blood diagnosed positive with ASCS (Acute Sister Complex Syndrome), went into a wild imagination. It was a disastrous, hilarious combo that should not have taken place, as their mind flew into their fantasy world. With Arcueid continued her 'physical examination' and Lia crying out (it was not known whether it was of pleasure or of distress, since the men dared not peeking at the women), they suddenly cried out in bliss and bled their nose.

"Dizzy and Hotaru used to have fun with each other," Rock sighed. "Now they don't do it. Oh, for God's sake, they must keep doing their _shoujo-ai_ romance!"

"Hey! That's against the teaching!" Ky interjected. "I shall not allow such acts of sinners to take place on this earth!"

Rock glanced at the scandalized knight. "You've been telling that to me for hundreds of time, yet you always ask me to take candid photos of them. Don't pretend you forgot the photos of Dizzy and Hotaru taking bath at the waterfall."

"Bloody hell?" Ky screamed out. "Rock! You heretic! Your sin is beyond…!"

They heard a loud moan across the bamboo screen. They suddenly became quiet. Once again, wild thoughts took place, and things did not get any better -- or worse -- than this. Ky and Rock gazed emptily into the space, imagining of their beloved wives frolicked and giggled while performed questionable acts of lovers. They did not even care of whether it was scandalous or not. Bridget, Anji and Shiki were still in their fantasy world, oblivious of Rock and Ky, and they smug and laughed like a hungry man suddenly presented with bouquet.

"OW!" Their nose exploded in bloodbath. They sank into the pond and slowly rose to the surface. Their face was marked with a blissful smile. "This is heaven…" they said in unison.

"Damn." Archer growled. "Stupid guys… thinking of naked girls having fun with each other…" He was at the farthest side of the pool, and was leaning against the rock formation. "And I don't even have the chance to mess with Rin!" He screamed in dismay and roughly scratched his itch-less head. "Stupid girl…"

He sighed. His eyes rolled into the heavens, Archer let out a long sigh and slowly succumbed into the warmth of the hot spring. "It's a relaxing day…" Berserker nodded, his huge, muscular body overshadowing the FATE gentlemen; Lancer shrugged, even as he urged Shirou to eavesdrop the girls; Shirou protested at Lancer's suggestion and exploded in rage when the Servant mentioned Illiya's name.

**(Author's comment: "We all are pedo for Illiya. Sigh…")**

"Come on, guys!" they heard Bridget exclaiming in anticipation, whilst the Brit stood proud from the water. "We must not allow this golden opportunity to go away! Who's with me, if you know what I'm talking of?"

Anji lifted his left hand. Iori lifted his right arm, uttering "I may be a bad guy, but I always get the better chance than Kyo." Archer and Lancer simultaneously threw their fists into the air. Shirou reluctantly lifted one hand, shaking his head in dismay. Berserker, not knowing what Bridget was talking of, simply lifted his hand.

Shiki could only laugh silly. "Here we go again…"

Rock nudged Ky. "Hey, Ky, 100 bucks for taking a picture of Dizzy and Hotaru."

"No way! I don't have money that much!" Ky exclaimed.

Rock laughed. "Oh, how can a police officer possibly so poor?"

"I am not poor! And I no longer work with the police!" Ky snapped.

"O RLY?" Rock replied.

"YA RLY!" Ky said.

"O RLY DESU?"

"YA RLY DESU!"

"O RLY DESU-DESU-DESU?"

"YA RLY DESU-DESU-DESU!"

"STICK GOES WHERE?"

"O SHI-SACRED EDGE!"

"OHNOES! NO WAI!"

Ky fired a Sacred Edge at Rock -- how he managed to insulate the lightning overdrive from electrocuting people inside the pond is not known -- but it missed its target. Instead, it went toward the bamboo fence and destroyed the barrier in one swipe. In an instant, everything became silent as the men and women looked at each other in their cloth-less form. On top of that, the women were not amused.

Extremely not amused.

Veins popped out of Baiken's forehead as she reached for her katana. "Die."

So did May, whose fists were taut and shivering in wrath.

"Emiya Shirou…!" both Saber and Shirou growled.

"_Iyaa_! Shiki/_oniichan no ecchi_!" Arcueid and Illiya moaned and covered their naked chest.

The rest of the girls? Well, they simply covered themselves with their towel and blushed in embarrassment.

"Uhh… girls…" Bridget spoke, trying to ease the rising tension, "can we talk?" This was answered by a giant pink whale summoned from thin air, which hit Bridget right on his face. As if on cue, the women tossed everything they had up their sleeves: dolphins, killer whales, anchors, chains, maces, whips, light sword, pillows, stones, crucifixes, a certain Haro converted into high-explosive suicide unit…

x-x-x

Lone Wolf NEO was smacked on his head. "Bad Lone Wolf," Yuuki interjected, her hand holding a huge sledgehammer trembling in anger. "You know you can't use Haro without permission from Lacus."

"It can't be helped!" Lone Wolf NEO replied. "I got my real life mixed up with Zero Hour and its cheap-ass mod…" He shuddered at the thought of Lacus Clyne, the pink-haired Coordinator of Gundam SEED, becoming a Zero Hour general and commanding a horde of Suicide Haro to enemy general's base, with Strike Freedom providing aerial support. "I need Prozac."

"No cause is too great!" a GLA rebel shouted out from nowhere.

x-x-x

…and so much more as the women cried out in blasphemy.

"_BAAKA HENTAI YAROU_! WOMANIZER! ECCHI! PERVERT! LECHEROUS! PEEPING TOM! GET OUT OF HERE!"

"WAAAA! WE'RE VERY SORRY!"

_Several minutes later…_

"Hi, guys!" along came Hikki's voice. "What's going on?" He blinked many times in surprise as he arrived at the scene: while Berserker hid in a corner, fiddling with his fingers in shame, the men were floating in the hot water, unconscious but still living. He laughed at the scene and scratched his head in wonder. "Well, I think this isn't the right time to have a hot-water bath…" he uttered and left the area.

x-x-x-x-x

Lone Wolf NEO was silent. Caster, too. Both of them were not saying a word. Sitting beside Lone Wolf was Kira Yamato and Lacus Clyne, the leading characters of both Gundam SEED and Gundam SEED Destiny whom the author invited to the evening tea. Taking her place next to Caster was the Priestess of Wind Village Talim; she, too, was invited by Lone Wolf NEO. Sitting beside Lone Wolf NEO was Link; he was puzzled as of why he was invited to the tea session.

"I was very surprised," Caster uttered while taking a sip of tea. "To be invited to an evening tea by my author fellow. This has to be the most memorable day I ever have."

"It indeed is a strange occurrence," Lacus said and put down the teacup she was holding. "For someone with the unlimited privilege to alter the universe with his own willpower, inviting us for this friendly congregation must be intriguing."

"There must be something important behind this gathering, isn't it Lone Wolf-_san_?" Kira asked.

"I would like to know, too," Talim added.

Lone Wolf NEO coughed and brought down the hand that held the ceramic cup. "You know, whenever I get to have my friends gathered in one place, they tend to say, 'Lone Wolf, why are you calling us?' 'Lone Wolf, you know you shouldn't burden yourself.' 'Oh, don't worry about us, Lone Wolf.'" He chuckled and took a sip of the green tea. "What? Can I _not_ ever do that? Inviting my buddies for an evening tea and having friendly chat?"

Caster foxily giggled. "Oh, Lone Wolf. You don't have to be shy with us, you know," she uttered.

"I wish I could, Caster," Lone Wolf NEO said, shaking his head as if in disappointment. "I wish I could."

"Then what's bothering your mind?" Talim asked.

Lone Wolf NEO stared at the priestess. He smiled, and glanced at the anxious Link. "What the hell's wrong with you? And what are you doing with that floor, Link?"

The warrior elf of Legend of Zelda glared at Lone Wolf NEO. "Nothing. Just testing the durability of this floor," he said and tapped the floor he was seating on. "LOL."

Lone Wolf NEO batted an eyebrow. "O RLY?"

Link laughed. "YA RLY." He was tossed by a cushion and thrown several feet backward. When he got up he saw the cute face of angry Talim, growling at him in disgust. "What was that for, Talim?" he demanded.

"You fail your English, Link," she interjected and pouted.

"Hey, don't give me that face," Link said. "You'll only look cuter in that."

Talim blushed at the comment and tossed several pillows that came out of nowhere. "Stop teasing me, Link!"

"So, Lone Wolf," Caster said, "what's the commotion? I know you won't call us for nothing."

"I am curious to hear Lone Wolf explaining his reason of summoning us," Lacus uttered.

Lone Wolf NEO shrugged. "My colleagues… no, the lone wolf of Holy Orders and the lavender alchemist of the Atlasia House are getting married," he spoke, "I was asked to arrange the ceremony, and I need to make their day as unique and as memorable as possible."

Caster giggled. "Ah, Sion-_chan_…" she sighed dreamily. "You're getting married already, huh? What a naughty girl you are."

"A marriage, isn't it?" Kira uttered. "This should be interesting. What do you think, Lacus?"

Lacus smiled at him. "I will try my best to be of Lone Wolf's assistance. It will be an honour for Coordinators like us to help the Author."

"When do we get started?" Talim asked.

Lone Wolf NEO stared at his chronograph he was holding. "About 48 hours from now. First, I need to determine who's going to be invited and where the wedding's going to take place. Can the three of you do this favour for me? The ceremony?"

Caster smiled. "Of course we can. Just leave it to us," she said with a wink.

"We will," Lacus and Kira answered in unison.

Talim stopped tossing pillows at Link and turned her attention to Lone Wolf NEO. "The Priestesses of Wind is willing to offer their service to those who need it," she said.

"By the way, Lone Wolf," Caster said. "I heard you're going to propose your girlfriend. How's it going?"

Lone Wolf NEO choked the tea he was drinking. "Caster! Why are you asking in a sudden?" he demanded between his coughs.

Caster simply grinned. "Aw, you know you and Miss Takane are made for each other. Besides, Saber often tells me of how romantic both of you are."

Lone Wolf NEO blushed. "We're just lovers! What do you expect of us? Married couple?" He realized what he had said and slapped his forehead, headshaking in dismay. "Damn it! I wasn't supposed to say that!"

Lacus giggled. "Perhaps Lone Wolf and his girlfriend should consider their future marriage during the wedding ceremony," she suggested. "Isn't that right, Kira?" she asked, in which both Kira and Talim nodded to answer _yes_. This caused Lone Wolf NEO to blush in embarrassment even more, and Caster laughed at his reaction.

His eyes rolled to the ceiling, Lone Wolf NEO could only sigh in his heart. "Oh, please…"

x-x-x-x-x

48 hours had passed. Preparations for the wedding were flawless, and everything was set to celebrate the newly wed couple. The crews of Archangel, Coordinator's primary battleship cup command centre, had wholeheartedly agreed to let Lone Wolf NEO use their ship as the venue for the wedding ceremony. Lone Wolf NEO had arranged the marriage to be attended only by those who had relationship with the married couple-to-be, both directly and indirectly. Thus, the list of people from the universes of TYPE MOON, Fatal Fury/Mark of the Wolves/King of Fighters, Guilty Gear and the ex-Dragoon Judges.

Sion was nervous. Never had in her life before would she experience wedding, much less getting married to someone. She stared at the very reflection of her own self in the mirror; the image of the female heir of the Atlasia House donning wedding garment was a sheer contrast from her usual appearance, and she felt uncomfortable.

"I know you're afraid, Sion," Caster uttered. She acted as Sion's personal assistant, and she knew what the young woman was dealing with. "This is your first day of becoming a woman, and you should know what lies on your path once the tie's bonded." So saying, she put her hands upon Sion's shoulder and softly massaged them. "Just relax and pay no attention of all the problems. When the bishop asks you questions, just answer all of them with honesty."

Sion sighed in pleasure at the massage. "But Caster, I… I'm afraid I'll just spoil the day," she uttered.

Caster giggled. She leaned forward and rested her head on Sion's right shoulder. "Aw, you shouldn't say that," she said. "Besides, whoever going to mess with you shall have to face me first." She, then, placed an assuring kiss upon Sion's flushed cheek. "Rest assured. There won't be anything wrong for today."

Sion just smiled. "Thanks, Caster."

Meanwhile, at the groom's room, Alexander was already standing next to the mirror. Donning the complete gear of the Holy Orders, he looked almost like how his appearance as a Holy Knight used to be. Black/dark grey uniform, black scarf tied around his neck, double _kodachi_ clipped on his belt ("For safety reason," he said), and the most striking feature the black knight ever had: the cross scar on his left cheek, which he let it exposed to the open air.

John entered the room. "Mister Hahn, are you ready?" The cowboy pirate was Alexander's best man, and it was his duty to escort the groom to the main hall.

Alexander turned to him. "I'm ready." He looked back at the mirror, examined the reflected image of his self, and nodded. "Let's go."

x-x-x-x-x

The crews of Archangel were busy. Led by Lacus and Kira, they scrambled around the venue to ensure the flow of the wedding ceremony not be disturbed or caught in difficulties. While Lacus was stationed at the command centre -- she expressed her regret for being unable to join Lone Wolf NEO's company -- Kira was in charge of the ceremony that took place in the main hall. Already, the invited guests were eager to see the couple officially declared as husband and wife, and nothing made them more excited than seeing them kiss on the podium.

"Here comes the bride!"

All attentions were diverted. They had arrived: Alexander and Sion, both standing at the end of the red carpet, and both gorgeously dressed up. At the same time, the military band played the loudest song they could afford of, and before long confetti and flowers scattered around the hall.

Sion shyly blushed when she noticed many eyes staring at her, and frowned. "I'm afraid, Alex…" her voice trembled to speak.

"Have no worry, Sion," Alexander told her. "This won't take long."

The bride and the groom, escorted by their best man and woman (John and Saber respectively), slowly walked toward the altar where Talim and several priestess were waiting. They halted in front of Talim, and remained still as Talim signalled at her colleagues to perform the ritual. She started talking in native language and made several gestures in the air, whilst the other priestesses walked around the couple, reciting ancient texts in unison with their leader. The marching band music stopped and was replaced by the exotic music of the Wind Priestess, and the atmosphere became both calm and mystical.

"I say, Link-_san_," Shiki said as he watched the ritual with the guests, "your girlfriend is quite a charming girl. How lucky you are."

Link simply sheepishly laughed. "Why, thank you for the _compliment_."

Satsuki, Ren, Hisui and the rest of the residents of the Tohno Mansion could not help but to smile. They congratulated Alexander and Sion in silence, wiping off tears off their eyes. _"Yokatta, ne…"_ Satsuki said, in which they nodded in acknowledgment.

Sol glanced at Ky. "So, after this, I don't expect you to have grudge against him," he said.

"Is that a sarcasm, Sol?" Ky demanded. Sol ignored it and nodded to the beat of _We Are The Champion_ he listened on his iPod. "Damn it! You play ignorance on me!"

Lone Wolf NEO nodded at the scene when he noticed Caster, Dizzy, Hotaru, Arcueid, Justine, Athena and Rock foxily staring at him. "What?"

Iori patted his shoulder. "It's your turn now, man," he said. Lone Wolf NEO was startled by the comment and blushed. He turned to Hibiki who was, too, blushing.

"_Anou_, Lone Wolf-_san_…" nervously Hibiki said.

Lone Wolf could barely find his strength to speak. "Hi… Hibiki…"

Lia said nothing. She was standing next to former judges Logan and Hayabusa, and could only congratulate her brother from distance. "Don't worry, Lia," Logan said and ruffled his hand against her head, "you'll get the chance someday."

Lia simply nodded. "Umm."

"And so," Talim said as the ritual dance ended. "On behalf of the Priestesses of the Wind, I pronounce you, Alexander Hahn, and Sion Eltnam Atlasia, husband and wife. The ring, please." Her assistant gave her the ring, in which she handed it to Alexander. The groom gratefully took it and inserted it into Sion's finger. A faint blush tinted her face the moment the ring firmly rested in its place.

"Alex…" she whispered.

"Sion…" Alexander spoke her name.

"Sir," the Priestess of the Wind said, "it is now customary to kiss the bride."

Alexander leaned forward. He lifted the veil over her head and stared into her eyes, as if asking for confirmation. She answered with a shy smile, and Alexander took it as the reply he needed. He took the inviting lips into a kiss, and held her close as he claimed the prize he sought after. The audience clapped and cheered for them, now officially married, and gave them a standing ovation.

Alexander released Sion from the kiss, just close enough to stare at her eyes. "I love you, Sion."

Sion smiled. "I love you, too, Alex."

Talim sighed in relief and smiled. "Now, everyone, let us--"

The door opened. From it came soldiers who were kicked into the floor, and several men armed with sword entered the hall. The audience were caught in shock, as the uninvited guests headed toward the altar. They halted as they were several feet away from Alexander and gave way to a man in robe. Alexander watched at the robed man, who tossed the black cloth and revealed a battle suit from underneath it; it was complete with broad sword, shield, javelin, tonfa and dagger. This man was clearly fully prepared for an all-out duel.

"Hello, Alexander," greeted the 'guest'. "It's been a while."

Alexander was not amused. He knew that voice. In fact, he recognized it too well his heart burnt in hatred. "What has brought you here, Valentino?"

Valentino laughed and signalled his men to retreat. He stepped forward and holstered the broad sword upon his shoulder. "I believe I am among the _uninvited_ guests. Don't you think it's a bit _inappropriate_ for people like us to interfere with this ceremony?"

Alexander's eyebrows batted upward. "What?"

Valentino grinned and waved his hand to the main door. In an instant, several unrecognized people stormed into the hall and headed toward the altar. Several guards stood in the way, before being swept aside, and the newcomers proudly marched down the red carpet. They stopped behind Valentino, and turned their attention to the guests.

Justine, Athena and Hotaru were appalled when they saw one of the guests. "Doctor Getter?"

"I have returned!" declared the mad scientist, with appearance more insane and misunderstood than before. "With more tricks up my sleeves, I am now invincible! Fear my robotic tentacle monsters of death! AH-HAH-HAH-HAH-HAH-HAH!"

Talim was in shock. The Azure Knight, the one who bore the Soul Edge, was staring at her with the eye of death. "Night…mare…!"

Mai and Misaki were not amused. Their former comrades of _Eternal Fighter Zero_ were standing behind Nightmare, and they were as vengeful as before. Why they were involved in this event was not entirely clear, but it seem that they wanted to reclaim victory that slipped away from their hands in the previous encounter with Mai.

Logan and Hayabusa were even more not amused. Tanaka Eiko and the warrior monks were here, as well. In an instant they withdrew their weapons and stepped ahead of Lia. "You never want to question your loyalty towards the society, do you Eiko?" Logan asked.

"Silence, Rage," the warrior monk hissed.

"Lone Wolf-_san_!" Kira exclaimed as he approached Lone Wolf NEO. "I don't know how this happened, but the ship has been infiltrated. Somebody must have leaked the information to the enemy."

Lone Wolf NEO nodded. "Bring the guests to safety. I fear of an impending free-for-all." He later took a look around the venue. The non-fighting guests were safely evacuated from the area, and only the leagues of warrior remained with him. "Wow, I never thought the security guards to act this efficiently fast." He approached Hibiki and whispered something to her ear. The swordswoman stared at him in disbelief and demanded him to stay. He whispered at her ear again, and this time she understood the message. He signalled at Kira and disappeared from the crowd.

"Where is he going?" Kira asked Hibiki.

"He says there's something he wants to investigate at the observation post," Hibiki told him.

Alexander stepped forward. "Enough of this already, Valentino," he insisted. "I don't want to have anything with you anymore. Leave us alone."

Valentino swaged a finger in denial. "Uh-oh, I don't think that's the answer I want to hear. You see, I have longed to annihilate you from this world as early as your involvement in the Assassin Guild. Even today, the desire still burns inside of me."

Alexander lost his patience. He withdrew both swords and pointed of them at Valentino. "Don't you dare looking down upon me, Valentino. I will kill you if I have to."

Valentino laughed and opened his arms. "Be my guest." He dropped his arms, and in an instant the newcomers charged at the warrior league. The main hall now became a field of free-for-all, and it did not take long before a series of skirmishes took place around the venue.

Doctor Getter was among the first people to wage the war. Fully equipped with combat tools and automated mechanisms, he approached the self-acclaimed Darren's Angels and had a sinister laughter as the girls opened their battle stance. "Fool! You know you are helpless against my tentacle monsters! Submit to my will! The will of Doctor Getter!" he announced.

"We will not be oppressed!" Justine shouted. "Because we are Freddie's Angels! Fighting devils for love, peace and beauty is our mission! Nothing will stand a chance against us!" So saying, the girls made a distinctively cheesy kung-fu pose and shouted a battle cry.

"I thought we were named Darren's Angels," Hotaru whispered.

"Apparently Justine wanted it to rhyme with Charlie's Angels," Athena whispered back.

Doctor Getter laughed in maniac and deployed his arsenals off his body. "You fool! Freddie's Angels or Freddie's Demons, you will never win against me! I am Doctor Lens Getter, the world's Number 1 scientist! I am Doctor Getter, the greatest inventor of all! Go, Metal Widow Mark 2!"

A teleport door opened behind Doctor Getter, and jumping out of it was a giant mechanical spider that landed in front of Freddie's Angels. "This is only the beginning!" Doctor Getter said and pointed to the girls. "The beginning of your end! AH-HAH-HAH-HAH-HAH-HAH!"

**To Be Continued?**

15


	27. Chapter 27: Mayhem

**Heart of Melting Blood  
Legend of the Moonlight  
Written by:** Lone Wolf NEO  
**Conceived by:** Lone Wolf NEO

**Author's note:** Guilty Gear is copyrighted by Sammy Studios whereas TPYE-MOON holds the right over all games under the company's label: Tsukihime, FATE, etc, etc, etc…. Lone Wolf NEO does not own any or all real-life features or whatever facts featured in this story. He does, however, own the copyright to all his original ideas in this fiction. The author would really appreciate it if readers do not plagiaries everything inside this story without his knowledge.

**Chapter 27  
Mayhem**

"Hey, Dad."

"What?"

"Still remember the first day you met Mom?"

"What do you want to know about her?"

"Well, before the day you _dumped_ both of us for the sake of… your quest for ultimate strength?"

Geese stared at Rock. Rock returned stare at Geese. Both the Howard fighters said nothing. Then Geese snorted and said "son, you have no right to know about your Mom."

"But mom always complaint about you," Rock interjected. "And that was a lot."

"Look, son," Geese said, not looking at the eager young blonde. "She was the one who constantly bugged me whenever I was around. Stupid glompylicious effect of Lone Wolf NEO…"

--At her mansion in Kiev, Mriya sneezed.--

Rock was more curious. "So?"

"So my answer would be no," Geese blatantly answered.

"Come on, Dad," Rock said and nudged his arm. "I know Mom was one hot woman in her younger years. I found that out after seeing her picture in your stash yesterday."

"Don't try me, Rock," Geese demanded.

"Oh, like I _want_ to do that," Rock insisted.

"O RLY?"

"YA RLY!"

"O RLY DESU?"

"YA RLY DESU!"

"O RLY DESU-DESU-DESU?"

"YA RLY DESU-DESU-DESU!"

"STICK GOES WHERE?"

"O SHI- Dad, I demand this Internet meme to stop," Rock growled.

"Why not? I find it most entertaining," Geese chuckled.

"Our courage will be seen by all!"

Geese snorted. He turned his attention to the GLA rebels that --surprisingly-- found themselves in the confusion of _Heart of Melting Blood_. "Since when _Heart of Melting Blood_ becomes a massive cross-over? I demand explanation for this stupidity," he uttered.

"Since Lone Wolf NEO rediscovered his old-time passion toward _Command & Conquer_, Dad," Rock answered.

The old man glanced at the youngster. The blonde-headed man gave the veteran of Howard Family a badgered look of 'what'. Geese replied with a sarcastic grin, in which Rock responded with a cry of blasphemy at his father. Geese laughed at his reaction and summoned dark gale out of his hand. Rock did the same, only the gale he summoned was a bit paler.

"No cause is too great!" the rebels shouted and charged at Rock and Geese. Geese watched at the soldiers and simply laughed, as he charged his dark gales to high levels. He waited for the soldiers to approach him. Then in a lightning-fast speed, Geese tossed a dense _Reppuken_ and sent the rebels flying to the wall. Several individuals survived the projectile and pounced at Geese. Not exerting his best effort, Geese caught them with his uber-reversal and tossed them outside Archangel.

"Predictable."

Rock saw a group of soldiers attacking him from behind. He tossed a _Reppuken_, chased after the projectile and jumped over it. He tossed a variation of _Shippuken_ at the advancing soldiers; all while Geese made a comment of it. "Copycat."

"I heard that," Rock replied. "SHINING KNUCKLE!"

x-x

"_IYAA!"_ Hotaru cried aloud as she evaded all biomechanical tentacles fired by Metal Widow Mark 2, all while Doctor Getter crazily laughed on board the crawler. _"BAKA HENTAI! SUKEBE! YAMETE!"_

"Hotaru-_chan_!" Athena fired a Psycho Ball at the tentacles, only to find herself facing several unguided rockets fired at her. She summoned a Psycho Shield as to deflect the iron-tripped projectiles, and was knocked back tens of feet away. "The robot's too strong!"

Justine shouted a battle cry and charged at Metal Widow Mark 2. "Don't you dare hurting my friends!" she screamed and began her attacks. "Justine Punch! Justine Kick! Justine Tackle! Justine Roundhouse! Justine Summer Slam!" All the melee and throw attacks, with each of its strength equal to the force of five 18-wheelers crashing onto a concrete wall at top speed, was more than enough to demolish a 30-story building. Being a human did not stop Justine from showing off all her best in close combat. In fact, it is believed that Justine is more dangerous in her restricted from than she would be in Gear Queen form.

To her absolute dismay, Metal Widow Mark 2 was not affected. Not even a scratch or a dent was visible on its composite armour. Yet not even the strongest of shells could stop her, so Justine continued attacking, increasing the strength of her attacks by each passing second.

"Fool! Metal Widow Mark 2 is designed to absorb all attacks!" declared Doctor Getter. "Your futile efforts are useless against me this time! I am invincible!"

"NO WAI!" Justine cried out.

"YA WAI!" Doctor Getter pointed to Justine, shouted a battle cry, and in seconds barrages of rocket-propelled grenades were fired. The attack was too quick for Justine to react, and she was soon bombarded by thousands of pounds of high-density explosives. It was too much, and Justine was knocked out cold.

"Justine!" Athena jumped toward Justine and found her lying on floor unconscious, her battle outfit torn to pieces. "Justine! Hey, don't die on me! Justine! Justine!"

"AH-HAH-HAH-HAH-HAH-HAH!" Arrogantly laughing, Doctor Getter ordered Metal Widow Mark 2 to undergo a transformation. From its crawler form into super robot mode, it took the machine an impressive 12 seconds to completely shape-shift. It later performed various battle poses at the end of its transformation and made a proud stand with hands on hips, all while Doctor Getter laughed like no tomorrow. "Now go, my brethren!" the scientist commanded with an open palm, in which Metal Widow Mark 2 imitated his movement. "Prove yourself one true, mighty, indestructible super robot! Show these lowlifes that our way is true! Go Metal Widow Mark 2!"

A fireball slammed on Metal Widow Mark 2's nape. The super robot was knocked off its feet and crashed on the ground. "What the hell is that?" Doctor Getter demanded. He saw a man donning white/red uniform, headband and carrying a broad sword standing at the entrance of the coliseum. The man was glowering at Metal Widow Mark 2, and flashed a middle finger.

"Fuck you," was all that Sol needed to say. The Corrupted Flame in his Holy Orders form took a deep breath, braced himself, Charged, cried out in Dragon Install and launched a Tyrant Rave Omega. The level-three overdrive knocked Metal Widow Mark 2 high into the sky, and Sol Charged for the second time before charging at the super robot in Storm Viper Level 3. Metal Widow Mark 2 was knocked back into the ground, and Sol landed next to the crashed machine beast.

"Who… who the hell are you!" Doctor Getter cried out.

Sol stomped a feet on Metal Widow Mark 2's head. He glowered at Doctor Getter, flashed another middle finger and said, "I hate tentacle monsters."

x-x

Mai frowned. It was the third time (make that four, since Lone Wolf NEO may actually forget anything about the encounter) she was pitted against her former _Eternal Fighter Zero_ friends. It was also the third/fourth time it was set up against her will, and this time the girls were as vengeful as they were in the last time. Should she fight and defend her honour as a swordswoman? Should she just give away and surrender to the fact that she's helpless without Sayuri?

Misaki stepped forward. "You want the best, here I am," she said, quoting a certain hero unit of _Zero Hour._

Mai could only look at her in shock. "Misaki?"

Misaki stared at her, sporting a somewhat naïve smile. "Do not worry, Mai. Everything is going to be alright," she assured.

"Misaki… you…"

Misaki simply smiled. She turned to the fighters, and the first opponent she faced was the _naginata_ girl Mishio. "Hello, Amano-_san_," greeted the daughter of Geese. "How are you doing?"

"Kawane Misaki," Mishio pronounced the named and pointed the tip of the _naginata_ at Misaki. "You left EFZ for the Howard Family. You are a disgrace to our master, and a traitor at worst."

Misaki chuckled. "My defection doesn't mean I've betrayed the league. As a matter of fact, it's inappropriate to label me as a traitor just because I saw a better prospect lying up ahead." With her smile intact, Misaki swayed her hair to the left and ran her fingers through its silky black strands. "Pity. We used to understand each other while we were still comrades."

"Enough! You're nothing but a speck of dusts in master's eyes!" So saying, Mishio and several other fighters charged at Misaki. Still swaging her hair, Misaki seemed to be oblivious of the fighters and continued her usual stuffs. Mai screamed out in distress and told Misaki of the impending danger when she signalled at her to stay.

"Misaki! You can't beat all of them!"

She just smiled. With arms dropped, Misaki was in ease. It was as if she was anticipating an attack. Then, speed neither Mai nor the league could follow, Misaki caught the attacking fighters, spun on her feet and tossed them to the far end of the arena. "To quote my father," she said and swayed her hair in wave-like motion, _"predictable."_

"Misaki! Behind you!" Misaki turned around and saw several more _EFZ_ fighters pouncing at her. The girl braced herself, snatched them and slammed them hard on the floor. Then, Misaka Kaori charged at her, trying to land a screw uppercut when a Stun Edge cancelled out the projectile. The fighter jumped out to safety and glanced at the newcomer.

"Damn, why do I have to take care of you?"

Misaki smiled at the owner of the voice. "Kiske-_san_, looks like you want to help me," she said.

"You still owe me that battle, Misaki," Ky insisted.

Misaki chuckled. "Ah, you're asking for a rematch. How nice. Perhaps I can think of that," she said and tossed a Reppuken at Kanna, "after we're done with them."

"Good idea," Ky replied and charged out in lightning force. _"SEIKISHIDAN OUGI!"_

x-x

Talim shook her head. She wanted to deny what her eyes were seeing, but the sight was too true to avoid. The Azure Knight, the owner of Soul Edge, the corrupted entity who possessed the knight of honour Siegfried, the one who was known simply as Nightmare, was standing in front of her with all the hatred and all the anger. Her heart was aching; the dark force was too disturbing for her to cope with.

Nightmare said nothing. He simply shrugged, lifted his sword and pointed it to Talim. "You," he growled in low toe, "die."

Link stepped forward. He lifted his shield and squinted at Nightmare. "You," he uttered, "get the hell away from Talim."

Nightmare glowered at Link. He grumbled and pointed his sword at the elf warrior. "You," he spoke, "die first."

Link opened his stance. "Come on, Nightmare. I'm not afraid at you."

x-x

Shirou shook his head. Rin grumbled. Illiya trembled in anger. Sakura hid behind Rider. The Servants stood behind their Masters, waiting for their orders with weapons drawn out. It was the second battle they had against the Dragoon Society, and they had no choice but to finish whatever they had left back in Paris.

"Now what?" Shirou demanded.

Saber lifted Excalibur off her shoulder. "Looks like we have to fight again," she answered.

Rider nodded. She lifted her chained mace and turned her attention at the Dragoon soldiers. "Stand back, Sakura," she told the young woman. "I'll take care of them."

Archer shrugged. He withdrew his bow of light and aimed its arrow at the soldiers. "Just show them we're no easy push-over."

Lancer made a battle pose, spinning his spear as he did. "Let's kick ass."

"Yeah! Let's show them who we are!" Illiya exclaimed and pointed at the soldiers. "Go Berserker!"

The Dragoon soldiers screamed a war cry. "FOR GREAT JUSTICE!" they roared and charged at the FATE League. The Servants jumped forward and blocked the ocean of armour-plated people, enduring the thousands of pounds of force pushing against them. The Servants kicked the soldiers out of way and charged at them. The soldiers marched forward and attacked the Servants, and riot soon commenced.

"ALL YOUR BASE ARE BELONG TO US!" the soldiers cried out.

x-x-x-x-x

_At the same time…_

The command centre was in chaos. Lacus Clyne, being in charge for the whole ship, was trying to assess the situation while her assistants monitored the ship for damage. She knew the ship was breached from the reports she received, but she had no ideas of the culprits. Moreover, she knew the wedding ceremony was supposed to be kept secret from outsiders, so anyone who exposed the location of Archangel was looking for trouble with her.

"Lacus Clyne! Do you read me? Lacus Clyne!"

The Coordinator took control of the radio. She was surprised to know the person she was talking to. "Lone Wolf? What are you doing on our radio frequency?"

"I have no time to explain!" the voice replied. "Listen, there's a free-for-all inside your ship and it's going to destroy it. You have to land it on Sardinia; it's the only way to safe the ship."

"Wait! There's a free-fight on board? What happened? Who's in charge of the people?" she replied.

"Listen to me, Lacus. You have to land Archangel on the island, or you'll risk losing the ship," the voice replied. "We have no time for this argument. Can you spot any clear patch of land?"

"Hang on; my crews are looking for it." She turned her attention to her radar operators; they were checking the radar for emergency landing site. One of them found a location and informed Lacus. "Got it; there's an abandoned coliseum 10,000 feet from Archangel. Lone Wolf, what should we do once we land there?"

"Just land the ship. Leave the rest to me."

"Roger. Lone Wolf… what are you going to do after this?"

"I… I don't know. I just hope things won't turn bad."

She leaned into the chair. Lacus turned her attention to the surveillance monitors; they displayed the battle that took place inside the hall. She knew the fighters trying their best to keep the damage as minimum as they could.

She sighed. "Link me to Kira."

"Roger, Captain," a radio operator complied. She linked the radio to Kira who was, at that time, at the hall. "Kira has been linked, captain."

"I'll take it from here." She took a deep breath, nodded and pressed the radio button. "Kira, this is Lacus. Do you read?"

x-x-x-x-x

Logan was cornered. So did Hayabusa, as the men were surrounded by hundreds of warrior monks from all directions. Fully quipped and fiercely loyal to the cause, the monks were under direct order of Eiko to exterminate the two former Dragoon judges. This was no longer for the sake of the society, as the men realized, but was for personal reasons.

"Damn, we're outnumbered," Logan grumbled.

"I don't think the ship's environment is with us," Hayabusa spoke and withdrew a pair of kunais from his sleeves. "At any rate, we'll be fighting a losing war."

"And this ship doesn't want to cooperate with us, I think," Logan said. "Say, I haven't seen you using your ninja spells. Why don't you show me some?"

Hayabusa snorted. "Get the hell out of here. Why would I waste my time showing off?"

"You do that, and I'll give you some cover," Logan told him and holstered his battle-axe. "Deal?"

Hayabusa shrugged and clenched both his hands into a spell-casting gesture. "Hold on for 40 seconds," he said and began charging up his _chakra_. "This is one hell of a spell."

Logan laughed. "Just 40 seconds? Come on; I can survive for longer than that," he insisted and glared at the female monks. "Come on, ladies. Show me what you've got."

The monks cried out in a deafeningly loud battle cry. They pounced at Logan, and were knocked away by Logan's mighty whirlwind axe attack. Logan threw out another attack and knocked out several attacking monks and head-butting a monk that attempted a rough tackle.

Then it was Eiko's turn. Blessed with unmatched agility and speed, Eiko was the nimblest judge, able to outrun any opponent with ease and launching attacks before the enemy could counterattack. But only just, since this time the opponent happened to be her comrade. Logan's sheer strength made up for his lack of speed, and she was infuriated.

"You're slowing down, Eiko," Logan teased as he repelled one of Eiko's kicks. "What happened to you? Missed the old sparring days?" Eiko snapped in anger. She screamed in blasphemy and launched super-fast punches at Logan, all of which were effortlessly blocked by Logan's spinning axe shield. Logan laughed and kicked Eiko out of the way. "That was not impressive, Eiko! Where has your incredible speed gone to, huh?"

"Do not underestimate me!" Like an injured tiger, Eiko pounced at Logan and attacked him with all her might. Logan, instead, paid no attention to the monk's wrath and played it easy, as if he was playing with someone's daughter. "You must day for disgracing Dragoon Society! You must die for humiliating me! You must die!"

"TELEPORTATION TECHNIQUE! _KUROKAMI NO KIBA_!"

Hayabusa slammed his _chakra_-enveloped palms onto the floor. In an instant both him and Logan were engulfed by vortex of dark energy, which knocked Eiko and the rest of the warrior monks away. The vortexes disappeared in thin air, taking the two warriors along. Eiko screamed out in anger and ordered her minions to search the ship for the escapees.

A loud bang, followed by a massive tremble, shook across Archangel. The ship had landed on the coliseum its radar operators spotted, but it was a rough landing and had damaged Archangel's bridge. Almost all the fighters fell onto the floor and slipped toward a hole created from the crash, which led them to the coliseum. Now that they found a new battlefield, they took no chance and went to fight, engaging in a massive free-for-all.

"It seems we are the only one left inside this arena," Valentino uttered. He was fast enough to hold on his sword he plunged into the floor. He slowly stood up and pulled out the sword, chuckling at the sight of Alexander. "So, Lia, are you surprised to see your custodian here?"

Lia frowned. She dared not looking at Valentino.

Alexander stepped forward, blocking Valentino's view on Sion and Lia. "You may do whatever you want to at me, but don't involve Lia," he demanded. "She has nothing to do with us."

Valentino laughed. "Ah, so I see. I was thinking that you didn't know who gave away the information of this vessel's location to Dragoon Society," he uttered. "Very well. You'll know soon enough." So saying, he slammed his broad sword onto the floor and charged at Alexander. The black knight quickly withdrew his weapons and blocked Valentino's charging tackle. He kicked Valentino away and pounced at him, while screaming a battle cry. Valentino laughed out loud and repelled Alexander's advancing slash and counterattacked. Alexander was quicker and delivered a knee attack on Valentino's ribcage, before grabbing him on the arm and tossing him toward the wall.

"Your strength has weakened!" Valentino shouted. He cast his broad sword away and switched to his tonfa. He charged at Alexander and hit him with his devastating close-range attacks. Alexander was forced to block the attacks, even as he was pushed toward the hole. He pushed away from Valentino and jumped out of the hole, landing inside the coliseum where the free-for-all was already in progress.

"Come on, Alexander! I know you're stronger than right now!" Valentino taunted as he resumed attacking Alexander with his tonfa. "What's the matter? Are you still reluctant to fight? That reluctance will only lead to death! And death is the better option for you!" He kicked Alexander away and switched to his spear and shield. "That's why you couldn't afford to live the expectation of Lord Zato back there! That's why you had to abandon your sister behind! Because you're afraid to die!"

"I'm not afraid of death!" He charged at Valentino and struck his _kodachi_ at him; the attack was blocked by Valentino's shield, and Alexander was stabbed on his waist. Torrents of blood sprang out of the wound and Alexander was knocked back by Valentino's shield slam. He refused to feel the pain and pounced back at Valentino, delivering high-speed sword attacks at the Dragoon lord. Valentino laughed and deflected the attacks, before stabbing his spear into Alexander's shoulder blade. Alexander cried out in pain, and was severely weakened by the injuries. Valentino did not hesitate and delivered a kick on Alexander's chest, sending him across the coliseum.

"I was disappointed at your decision to leave Assassin's Guild," Valentino uttered and withdrew his dagger. "you were everybody's hope to continue the legacy of the guild, and you chose to join the Knights of Holy Orders. You were Master Zato's hope to become the next leader of the guild, and yet you chose to become the servant of the people." He spun the dagger in his hand and aimed it at Alexander. "Look at you now. You are confused. You are trapped inside your own dream. In today's world where survival is determined by the fittest, you are nothing but a black sheep."

Alexander stood up. Despite losing many blood, he still managed to hold on. He glowered at Valentino with weakened eyes, and he was gasping for air. "If I'm what you just said, I would've died a long time ago." He grinned and closed his eyes. "I'm a dead man, if you want to know."

"Fine, then you shall die today!" Valentino tossed the dagger at Alexander. It was coming at him fast, and Alexander was bracing himself for it.

He opened his eyes. A blurry shadow appeared before him, blocking him from Valentino with arms wide open. He looked at the shadow, and saw a familiar face staring at him. Then he saw a smile; a sad, melancholic smile. A shock and horrified look was carved upon his bloodstained face.

"Lia!"

The owner of the name smiled.

"NO!"

Then the dagger struck.

"_When the people die, so does the warrior. The failure of a warrior is when he or she fails to protect the people or the person they vow to serve. Without them, their existence in this world is nothing."_

Blood sprang from her wounds like light from a lamp, a ruby fountain of liquid life. She wavered, firmed for a moment, and then toppled. Alexander snatched her on her arms before her body could hit the ground. He pulled out the dagger and put his hand on the wound, trying to slow the flow of blood.

"Lia, no! Don't die on me!" he cried. "Lia! Lia!"

"Brother Alex…" He coughing was pained; fluids of red colour were already choking her throat. "I'm sorry… for upsetting you… I'm so sorry…"

"Why are you doing this? Why?" he demanded, as tears already flowed down his bleeding cheeks like waterfall streaming down hillside cliffs.

Lia managed to cup his cheek with a bleeding palm. Somehow, she managed to smile at him, the man she was once forced to hate for the sake of something that was not hers. Somehow, she managed to let him see the very same smile she always gave him.

"I'm sorry, Brother Alex…" she spoke between her trembling voices. "I was responsible… for setting up this… it was my fault that your wedding has to be disrupted…"

"How could you!" Alexander objected. "How could you do this to me! Do you still hate me this much, Lia? Do you still hate me?"

"I'm sorry, Brother Alex…" she gasped and coughed for want of air; blood trickled from the corner of her mouth, but she bravely went on. "I'm sorry for everything I've done until now… please forgive me…"

"How can I forgive you, damn it!" he scolded. "Mo… moron! Why would you do such idiot things like this? Lia, you idiot!"

She looked away. "Why?" Tears slipped free of her eyes all of a sudden. "Why did you call me stupid? What did I wrong that you must call me with such suffix?"

Alexander pulled the hapless girl into his arms, embracing her as tightly as he could. "You're my sister, for God's sake! I can't afford to lose you!"

Lia slowly reached for his body and enveloped her lithe arms around him. "Brother Alex…" Then she cried and buried her face beneath his chest. "I'm sorry, Brother Alex! The truth is… I don't want to see you married! I want both of us to live! Just… the two of us!"

Alexander frowned. It was now clear to him. Everything Lia had done against him --the atrocity, the Dragoon Society, the pain, the dark past, the expulsion-- was for him. Only now he realized that the young woman loved him wholeheartedly, more than how Sion loved him or how Dizzy loved him. "I'm sorry, Lia," he uttered. "I should've known…"

"No, it was my fault for hiding it from you," Lia cried. "I'm sorry, Brother Alex…"

Caster and Sion arrived. They were appalled by Lia's grave injury and told Alexander to hand Lia over to them. Alexander stared at them, then at Lia who refused to be treated for the injury. He shook his head and caressed her warm cheeks. "Hold on for me, okay?" he asked and kissed her on the forehead. "I'll finish this as soon as I can."

"Will you promise me?" Lia sobbed.

Alexander nodded. He signalled to Caster and Sion. The two women nodded and took Lia from him, before returning to Archangel where a team of field doctors was stationed to treat the injured. He silently bade farewell to them and turned his attention to Valentino. "I've told you not to include Lia in this argument, haven't I?"

Valentino snorted. "Hah, she was stupid enough to block my attack," he replied.

Alexander closed his eyes. "So be it." He marked an X on his cheek with his blood. The symbol sank into his skin and revealed a cross scar from it. Instantly blood retreated from his wounds and flowed back into his body. Then it burst out of the wounds and enveloped Alexander as a whole. It was a living entity; pulsing with self-conscious and vibrant with life, it slowly materialized into body armour and clung onto him, never letting him go.

Valentino was in shock. "It's the Forbidden Beast! How did he…" Then he cursed. "So that's why Master Zato wanted him to lead the Assassin Guild. He possesses a Forbidden Beast. Why didn't I know about this?"

The transformation was complete. The assassin knight was standing in his new look, silhouetted by the silvery light of the full moon, blocked by patches of cloud. It was nothing like before. Never before in his life would Alexander Hahn, the self-righteous Lone Wolf of Holy Orders and the Shadow of Assassin's Guild, display such a mysterious being. And now he was emitting the same, suppressive aura of a killer that struck fear into every enemy's heart.

Alexander opened his eyes. He looked all over him; the body armour, the organic matter that fused his hands with the twin kodachi, the whole entity. "A gift and a curse… discovered by Master Zato himself… and suppressed until now. I can feel it crying for mayhem." He turned to the trembling Valentino, grinned and pointed a _kodachi_ at him. "Now you know why I'm feared for my Warrior's Amok. Prepare yourself, Valentino, for the midnight carnival starts."

The clouds dissipated. The moon revealed itself in its full form, shining all of its celestial silver light across the land. It caught Alexander, as if it was focusing on him. As if he was the star of the show. As if he was the lord of the carnival.

"Now."

_**To Be Continued**_


	28. Chapter 28: Midnight Carnival: Reprisal

**Heart of Melting Blood  
Legend of the Moonlight  
Written by:** Lone Wolf NEO  
**Conceived by:** Lone Wolf NEO

**Author's note:** Guilty Gear is copyrighted by Sammy Studios whereas TPYE-MOON holds the right over all games under the company's label: Tsukihime, FATE, etc, etc, etc…. Lone Wolf NEO does not own any or all real-life features or whatever facts featured in this story. He does, however, own the copyright to all his original ideas in this fiction. The author would really appreciate it if readers do not plagiaries everything inside this story without his knowledge.

**Chapter 28  
Midnight Carnival: Reprisal**

_Sometimes 10 years ago, at the Assassin's Guild…_

"_You mean… this creature has been inside of me for a very long time? No wonder why I sometimes feel funny."_

"_Alexander Hahn. Your talent as an assassin is impressive enough to grant you an important rank in the guild. As the highest leader, I foresee a bright future in your path. You should have no regretted your decision on joining the Assassin's Guild."_

"_But I… I'm a despised person. People avoid me whenever I go, and they always blame me even when I'm doing nothing."_

"_They are afraid of you, Alexander. They are afraid of what's inside of you. That's why you're forced to lead this solitary path."_

"_Master Zato…"_

"_Listen, Alexander. With great power comes great responsibility. What you possess right now may have been a gift, and it may have also been a curse. Think of it very carefully every time you intend to invoke it to life."_

"_But… what should I do if… it goes beyond control?"_

"_Only you have the power to control the entity. Only you have the full understanding about it. Only you know what to do about it. Are you ready, Alexander?"_

"_I am ready, Master Zato."_

"_Well, then, let the initiation ceremony begin."_

x-x-x-x-x

Nightmare pounced at Link. The warrior of Zelda blocked the attack and counterattacked with a shield tackle. Nightmare screamed in dismay and slammed Soul Edge onto the ground; the resulting shockwave failed to reach Link as he nimbly jumped over the projectile. Again, Link counterattacked by throwing his shield as a boomerang. It collided onto Nightmare's body armour and dented it a bit; the damage was minimal, yet it was enough to piss the azure knight even more.

"Uh-oh," Link remarked. "Looks like I pissed him off."

Nightmare glowered at him. He pointed the Soul Edge at his adversary's face. "Die."

Just as Link was about to accept Nightmare's second projectile attack, someone jumped in and blocked the sword as it reached the ground. Link and Talim were shocked by the newcomer's act, and could not believe more as the newcomer wearing _hakama_ and _gi_ in white/red colour scheme revealed itself.

"What's up, fool?" was that Hikki said.

Geese's eyes widened at Hikki's appearance. "Is he impersonating me?" he demanded.

"He is cosplaying as you," Rock reminded.

"Even my hairstyle?" Geese asked.

Rock nodded, referring to the uncanny resemblances between Hikki's and Geese's appearance. "Even _your_ hairstyle."

Nightmare's eyes widened. "Fool? You call me fool?"

"Of course you are a fool, fool," Hikki said, impersonating gangsters' street talk. He kicked Nightmare out of the way and made haste to Link. "Yo," he said, gesturing a salute to him.

"Who are you?" Link demanded.

Hikki shrugged and flexed. "Just someone who wants to have fun," he said.

"Fun? We're in the middle of a brawl and you want to have fun?" Talim interjected.

Hikki, instead, gave her a 'no-no' gesture. "What? Can't I have fun once in a while? Besides, you sound like you want to protest at me." The answer caused Talim to stoop her head. Link gazed at her in a puzzled look. She said nothing and kept frowning. "Whatever," Hikki said and opened his stance. "Let's do this."

Nightmare roared out in anger and pounced at Hikki. The fighter made a backward bend to avoid the azure knight's horizontal attack. He knocked Nightmare to the air with an upward palm attack; Hikki continued the attack with an Overhead Helix, which he used to capture Nightmare in midair and tossed him onto the ground.

Hikki flipped a thumb's down at Nightmare. "Owned."

Holy Orders Sol growled at the impersonator. "Copycat."

"Yeah, so fear me," Hikki announced.

Meanwhile, Mai was standing behind Misaki and Ky, the latter charging up his lightning force. She was told by the two fighters not to participate in the fight; they were well aware of how reluctant she was to fight her former _EFZ_ comrades.

Then she felt her arms tapped. She turned around and found herself grabbed on the neck. "Surprise!" Cervantes said and tossed her across the coliseum. The swordswoman had no idea she would be unfairly ambushed by an enemy, and was unprepared for impact as she crashed on the wall.

"That was pathetic," Cervantes commented. He looked around him; the free-for-all was as hectic as it had started onboard Archangel. He laughed and turned to the knocked out Mai. He approached her and gave her a hard stomp on her arm. "Sorry, lass," he said and aimed Nirvana at her. "I may not know you, but I must kill you."

Hikki stopped jumping around in victory when he heard Mai's pained cry. He turned around and saw Cervantes stomping on Mai repeatedly. "What the fuck?" he cried out and tossed a _Reppuken_ at Cervantes; it merely served as a warning, so the Spanish pirate lord effortlessly blocked it.

"Just what the hell you think you're doing?" Hikki demanded and pointed to Cervantes. "Touch my wife and die."

Cervantes batted an eyebrow. "Son," he uttered, "I have no idea of what you're talking of."

Hikki snapped. "It means you're trying to touch her before _I_ do! ONLY I CAN TOUCH HER, YOU GODDAMN PAEDOPHILE!"

Mai blushed. Hibiki blinked many times at the exclamation. Holy Orders Sol grimaced at the word 'paedophile'. Shirou and Shiki gasped in horror and shouted: "NOOOO! WE ARE NOT PEDOS!" while Saber and Arcueid comforted them. John shook his head and uttered, "I just wish my brother Johnny isn't screaming up at heaven right now."

At faraway, Yuuki Darren could only say: "wow." Ayanami Rei remained silent and went "…" at the scene. Nagato Yuki stared at him, nodded and continued reading a copy of Tom Clancy's _Red Storm Rising_. Hoshino Ruri glared at the camera, said: "_baaka_" and returned to her room.

Cervantes was staring at him for a long time. Then he shrugged and stepped several feet backward. "I don't quite understand that, but I will end this," he said and began Soul Charging.

Hikki, then, glared at Mai. "And you, Miss Mai," he said and put his hands on his waist, "I thought you would still continue to fight as a _Wanderer,"_ he said in a mocking tone. "What a weakling you are."

Mai frowned. She did not like being called 'weakling' especially when it was her husband _himself_ who addressed her with such. "I'm not a weakling…" she insisted, tears dropping off her cheeks.

"Then why didn't I see you lifting your sword?" Hikki replied. "Don't tell me you already forgot the promise you and Sayuri-_san_ had made. Or maybe you're still with your _EFZ_ friends. Boo-hoo." Mai scowled. She did not like being fooled at. She did not like being labelled as an _EFZ_ fighter. She did not want to be thought as someone not worthy of the title Wanderer.

Hikki lost his patience. He swung his fist into the air. "Come on! Kawasumi Mai I know wouldn't simply surrender! Show me you're still a worthy swordswoman!" he shouted. "Come on! Don't make me double-cross you and go after somebody else!"

Mai's eyes widened. As if on reflex, she seized the scabbard of her sword and used it to repel Cervantes' unblockable attack as it was coming toward her. She glowered at the immortal pirate for a long time then she kicked him out of the way. She stood up, made herself firm on her feet and opened a _kamae_.

"My name is Kawasumi Mai," she pronounced her name, "and I am a Wanderer."

"Alright! That's what I want to hear!" Hikki exclaimed. "Go Mai!"

At the same time, Misaki overheard the declaration. She just grinned. "Well, well. Mai-_san_ has found what she's fighting for." She turned back to the _Eternal Fighter Zero_ warriors. "Looks like the so-called traitor no longer need to worry about you all."

The fighting girls screamed out in blasphemy. They pounced at Misaki in unison, aiming for her chest. The _Atemi Nage_ girl grinned in calm manner and eased her stance. She waited for all the opponents to come close, then…

"WATCH OUT!"

Misaki snapped. Her eyes shining brightly, she spun her arms in slow motion and braced herself from impact. Time seemed to slow to a halt as the EFZ fighters approached her, and…

"_SHIN ATEMI NAGE."_

The girls were tossed, away from their intended target. They were suspended in midair for a very long duration of time, as if they were in stop animation. In fact, camera rotated around them in the uncanny Bullet Time effect, exposing every detail of the scene. Then they were pushed by a massive invisible force and crashed into the wall of the coliseum. Misaki flipped her hair over her shoulders, untouched by the enormous strength of the reversal, and shrugged.

(Lone Wolf NEO commented: "Misaki looks kind of sexy whenever she flips her hair over her shoulders. And so does Tsuruya-_san_. I wonder what brand of shampoo both of them use." Hibiki bopped him on the head with her _tessen. _Standing next to the swordswoman, Tsuruya looked perplexed by the comment.)

"I should've stopped quoting my father for many times, but whatever it is," she said. "Predictable."

Geese suddenly shuddered. Rock was perplexed by the reaction his father was displaying and asked for explanation. "Someone is going to overtake my reign, but I don't know who," he told him.

"Wow," Ky cooed in surprise. "I didn't know you're this strong this close."

Misaki giggled at the comment. "Why, thank you Kiske-_san_."

Hikki finished cheering his wife. He turned around and cracked his fingers as he glanced at the Dragoon assassins. "And you just don't want to mess with me, yo. I'm going to kick all your asses, yo."

"Since when Hikki learns street language?" Hibiki demanded.

The Dragoon assassins screamed out in blasphemy and charged at Hikki as a whole unit. The young fighter simply waited for them to come close, before he suddenly fired a super-intense _Reppuken_ at them.

"What's the matter, homie?" Hikki taunted the defeated assassins. "You ain't seen nothing yet, yo. Because I'm going to own you like never before."

The assassin grew furious and charged at the solo fighter. Hikki shook his head in amusement and jumped over the assassins. Hikki laughed victoriously and tossed a _Kami-Reppuken_ at the assassins; the force of the wind-based projectile was more than enough to knock out all of them, but several assassins managed to evade the attack. They counterattacked by tossing daggers and _kunais_ at the Korean boy, but the fighter was nimbler than they expected. Hikki made a midair somersault and tossed another _Kami-Reppuken_ at the assassins; this time, it hit them and sent them flying into the Mediterranean.

Hikki landed flawlessly. He looked around him, outstretched himself and said, "that's why they should never _--ever--_ mess with me, because I'm going to kick their ass for good."

At the same time, Holy Orders Sol was glowering at the pinned down Metal Widow Mark 2. Inside the super robot, Doctor Getter was struck in fear he had never felt before. The fire-donning human was nothing like his other adversaries; he was, after all, Sol Badguy, the man who was reportedly among the very first batch of scientists who started the Gear Project, owner of the coveted Fireseal, possessor of hell on earth and the fighter who had over 100 years of brawling experiences. Of course, being in his Holy Orders form gave him more tricks up his sleeves to display, especially the ever-cheap Action Charge spam.

Oh, did the narrator forget to mention that he was a huge fan of Queen?

Sol glowered at Doctor Getter. "You may mess with Justine or Athena or even Hotaru," he growled, "but using tentacle monsters is an absolute no-no to me."

"You dare telling me to discard of my children!" Doctor Getter replied. "I am Doctor Getter, the great master of super robot! A great scientist like me does not need to accept your pathetic advice!"

Sol snorted. He ignited a fireball from his fist, swung it in front of Metal Widow Mark 2's face and flipped yet another middle finger. "You're one fucking annoying bastard."

At the same time, Athena was assisting Justine when she heard a loud battle cry that was followed by a massive explosion. She looked at the source of the noise and saw Holy Orders Sol sending Metal Widow Mark 2 high into the sky in a Dragon Installed Level 3 Storm Viper, followed by an aerial Level 3 Tyrant Rave Omega. The Overdrive was Roman Cancelled and --since he was in his A.D. 2172 form a.k.a. his coveted "Boss" form-- Holy Orders Sol continued with another Dragon Installed Level 3 Storm Viper; this time, he Roman Cancelled it into a Level 3 Bandit Revolver Prototype.

"_I see a silhouette of a man!  
Scaramouch! Scaramouch! Will you do the Fandango?  
Thunderbolt and lightning! Very, very frightening me!  
Galileo! Galileo! Galileo! Galileo!  
Galileo Figaro!  
Magnifico! Oh, oh!"_

"Tyrant Rave! OMEGA!"

Metal Widow Mark 2 was again sent crashing into the ground. Holy Orders Sol glided back to the downed super robot, Fireseal burning in such heat that the ground below him instantly melted into glass-like materials. "Time to finish this once and for all."

"NEVER!" Metal Widow Mark 2 stood back on its feet and aimed its fists at the approaching Holy Knight. "I, Doctor Lens Getter, shall prove to the world that I'm the best! Nobody will dare defying my will after this!" So saying, the super robot braced itself as ignition started counting down. "Prepare for your doom! METAL WIDOW, FIRE!"

The super robot fired the fists and sent them flying toward Sol. At the same time, Doctor Getter commanded Metal Widow Mark 2 to deploy its shoulder and body cannons. All the stored energies were now let loose in a massive particle beam all aimed to destroy the self-proclaimed Corrupted Flame. Athena cried out in distress but her voice was engulfed by the deafening roar of the particle beam.

"DRAGON INSTALL!"

Sol let out a burst of flame that instantly nullified the effect of the particle beam. Doctor Getter was appalled and stepped backward in fear, and so did Metal Widow Mark 2 that impersonated him to the letter T. The American Badass landed on the glassy earth, glared at the super robot and flipped yet another middle finger. "Instant Kill." He charged up and pounced at Metal Widow Mark 2, leaving behind him trails of scorched earth. Despite the super robot's efforts, it was fatally useless to stop the Gear, and now he was crouching next to the robot's feet.

"NAPALM DEATH!"

The hymn of _Hallelujah_ echoed in the air.

Sol Badguy turned around. He sported a thumb's down, displayed it to the destroyed Metal Widow Mark 2, and said: "you suck." He turned away, shrugged his head off and walked toward Athena when he heard a sinister laugh from beneath the ruins. He glanced at the charred metals and could not believe his eyes. "What the hell is he?"

"You cannot destroy me!" Doctor Getter slowly rose from the ruins. His laboratory suit burnt into nothing, exposing his true form. Metal skin covering biomechanical organs, artificial veins and nerves coursing through body, and ruby light pulsing from his left eye, Doctor Getter looked liked something that came from the trilogy of Terminator. "I am Doctor Getter, the greatest super robot scientist in the world! Look at what the marvel of science has done to improve my outlook! With this new body, I am invincible!"

Sol was not impressed. On top of that, the theme song of _Terminator_ that started playing in the background annoyed him. "Oh, fuck. Will anyone please do something on this nonsense crossover?"

Doctor Getter laughed. He lifted his hand. He clenched it. At the same time a loud, deafening roar echoed from the sea. The sea surface bubbled intensely, and from it came a creature like nothing before. Doctor Getter laughed maniacally as he pointed to Sol Badguy. "You thought you could defeat me with your puny fireballs! You were wrong! My child with send you to the deepest hell you've ever imagined!" The metallic creature roared when the name 'Metal Serpent' was mentioned and deployed its on-board weapons. "Now, witness my ultimate creation! The most dangerous, the most coveted, the most powerful, the most ultimate… METAL SERPENT!"

Metal Serpent slammed its tail onto the cliff and smashed the ground: it happened to slam where Talim was standing on. The wind priestess lost balance and fell with the crumbled ground toward the seaside coastline 500 metres below. Her distressed cries were swollen by the loud cries of Metal Serpent that fired laser beams from its eyes, destroying everything around it.

"TALIM!"

Doctor Getter laughed. Despite the damage, he still managed to stand on his feet and sported his arrogance smile. "Even if I'm defeated, my super robots never know the meaning of defeat! They will continue fighting until they achieve absolute victory! I WILL ALWAYS BE INVINCIBLE!"

"No."

He turned around, and in an instant a lightning-flash sword attack slashed through his body. Doctor Getter was in a suspended animation and could neither move nor speak. He could only feel a cold wind breezing through him, and then he saw a person standing next to him with swords withdrawn.

"End."

With a click of the sword inserted into its scabbard, Doctor Getter was downed. Mai glanced at him, as the super robot genius fell lifeless toward the ground. The black-haired, emerald-eyed girl took a deep breath and swayed her hair over her shoulder. "I am…" she whispered, "a Wanderer."

Talim fell toward the coastline. Metal Serpent was pouncing toward her, trying to catch her weakened body with its massive jaws. She did not see it coming, and certainly she could not see the danger coming with it. She was half-conscious, and barely able to move her limbs. All she could do was to let Mother Nature decide her fate. She let destiny chose the path, as she closed her eyes.

Somebody snatched her body. She did not know who --it might have been Link-- but then she felt a strong gale spinning around her in rapid rotation. Slowly she opened her eyes and found herself staring into a pair of emerald eyes. She was not quite sure of what was going, but the owner of the eyes was saving her from falling down the cliff.

"Hang on tight," Hikki uttered and began charging up his wind power. Talim did what he told her, and she clung onto him as he fired the wind vortex from his hand into the ground. It disintegrated into an air cushion, and the two fighters made a soft landing on the ground. Talim was released from his firm grasp, and he jumped back across the sea, heading toward the oncoming Metal Serpent.

"Talim!" She looked upward and saw Link and Mai looking down at her from the edge of the cliff. "Are you alright down there?" Link shouted.

"I'm alright!" she shouted back. She heard a loud battle cry at her back. She turned around and saw Hikki firing multiple _Reppuken_ at the super robot. "He can't fight the monster alone! Somebody must help him!"

Hikki crashed on the beach next to Talim. With the help of the wind priestess, he struggled to stand up and glowered at Metal Serpent. His breathing laboured, his face bloodstained, Hikki was furious for being overpowered by the machine monster. "This calls for an extreme measure," he growled. He crossed his arms, released tense wind vortex from his palms and shivered. As if foreseeing the consequences, Metal Serpent let out a mighty roar and charged at Hikki.

"Sir! The monster is heading toward you!" Talim shouted.

"Miss, I'd advice you to step away," Hikki reminded her, "and one more thing: I have a name, and that is Hikki." Hikki glanced at Talim and sported an assuring smile. "Hey; don't tell me you're worried. Keep that aside; I'll still be in one piece." Soon afterwards, the wind vortex turned dark blue, and Talim was greatly oppressed by the massive aura of the element. Fearing the worst, Talim left him and took shelter behind a boulder.

Metal Serpent roared. It glowed brightly and transformed into a whitish light matter. The machine monster was in collision course with Hikki, and there would be no escape as the monster was within millimetres from contact.

"TIME HALT!"

Time came to a standstill. The world was brought into a bone-chilling pause. All living beings and non-living matters were struck in suspended animation. All, which included Metal Serpent, whose light matter was suspended in still frames.

Hikki dropped his hands. He reared backward and suddenly hurled toward Metal Serpent. At the time he shouted "Chrono--" the gales burst out and changed into a violent vortex, its ferocity leaping into a point where everything would cut into pieces by exposing it to the razor-sharp wind blades.

"CROSS!"

The sound of clashing metals blasted loudly. Then, nothing as everything turned pitch black, except for the visible shrieks of aerial bombing siren. It seemed the universe would stand still for eternity, until a chiming sound echoed faintly in the background. Only then normality was restored, and it revealed what had happened in the split second.

Hikki stood on his feet. The wind vortex disappeared as he discarded it from his hands. Without looking backward, he lifted one hand, snapped his fingers, and instantly a gigantic crucifix of light appeared in the thin air. It slashed across Metal Serpent and disintegrated the machine monster into many pieces that fell in mass into the sea.

He glanced at Link and Mai, the latter smiling in relief at his condition. He, then, looked at Talim and threw out a thumb's up. Talim smiled widely at the gesture.

x-x-x-x-x

"Lacus Clyne! Do you read me? Lacus Clyne!"

"Lone Wolf? What are you doing on our radio frequency?"

"I have no time to explain!" the voice replied. "Listen, there's a free-for-all inside your ship and it's going to destroy it. You have to land it on Sardinia; it's the only way to safe the ship."

"Wait! There's a free-fight on board? What happened? Who's in charge of the people?"

"Listen to me, Lacus. You have to land Archangel on the island, or you'll risk losing the ship. We have no time for this argument. Can you spot any clear patch of land?"

"Hang on; my crews are looking for it. Got it; there's an abandoned coliseum 10,000 feet from Archangel. Lone Wolf, what should we do once we land there?"

"Just land the ship. Leave the rest to me."

"Roger. Lone Wolf… what are you going to do after this?"

"I… I don't know. I just hope things won't turn bad."

He turned off the radio. Lone Wolf NEO looked inside the interior of the cockpit. The XFA-27A he found locked inside Archangel's vault was considered a Holy Grail; how the super plane of _Ace Combat 2_ got transferred from its Usean birthplace and ended up in _Heart of Melting Blood_, and more specifically the universe of _Gundam SEED Destiny_ was something he did not want to know. All he knew about the fighter was he needed it to deal with the situation both he _and_ Archangel were facing.

"Lone Wolf-_san_, can you hear me?"

Lone Wolf NEO looked at his 9'OC. He saw Strike Freedom flying next to him, and gave a wave to the mobile suit. "I thought you're still staying at the hall," he chuckled.

"Lacus told me to assist you," the MS pilot replied.

Lone Wolf NEO laughed. "That was freaking fast. Like, it was just minutes since I contacted Lacus."

Kira laughed as well. "Oh, come on Lone Wolf-_san_. You know I'm ready to help you."

Lone Wolf NEO's laugh faded. He glanced at the radar screen; red arrows and dots started filling the display, and they were riddling around him. These were fighter squadrons, naval fleets and mobile suit deployments of Dragoon Society, assigned to destroy Archangel and its crews as well as the abandoned coliseum. He armed the XFA-27A and turned his sight to his starboard; Kira was equipping Strike Freedom as well.

"We'll have to hold the line for full 15 minutes," Lone Wolf NEO informed Kira. "After that, my friend Captain Testarossa will take over. Remember, 15 minutes."

"Aha," Kira remarked, "so the rumours are true. Lone Wolf NEO has the authority to call reinforcement from any part of the fan fiction universe."

Lone Wolf NEO shrugged. "Whatever, Kira. Whatever."

"FOR DRAGOON SOCIETY!" the opposing pilots of the fighters and MS units shouted.

Lone Wolf NEO sighed. "I wonder whether Ciel-_senpai_ is watching this…"

**(background music: _Ace Combat Zero / The Round Table_)**

Lone Wolf NEO broke away to the left. Kira flew to the right. The oncoming fleet of F-15S/MTD and Su-47 missed their targets and made a hard turnaround. Lone Wolf NEO executed a Cobra and fired several QAAMs at the fighters; all of them hit and the fighters dived into the sea, leaving their pilots parachuting out of danger.

"Lone Wolf-_san_, enemy at your 9'OC!"

Lone Wolf NEO made a quick thrust-vectoring. The XFA-27A evaded an Ignited Gouf's Gatling cannon, and he fired a volley of QAAM at the attacker. The MS jumped away from the missiles and found it facing Strike Freedom. In a quick succession, the super MS sliced the Gouf's arms and legs and sent it crashing on an island.

"Thanks, Kira," Lone Wolf NEO remarked. "That was really close."

"Don't worry about it," Kira replied. He turned around and blocked a barrage of 16-inch artillery shells fired from Dragoon battleships. Immediately he invoked his SEED Mode; he fired Strike Freedom's multiple laser cannons at the warships and hit them --directly on the triple-gun turrets. Lone Wolf NEO had no time to watch the accurately deadly laser barrage as more and more fighters appeared to swarm at him.

"Fox 3. Missile launched."

More QAAMs were fired at the opposing fighters, and more kills were scored as all the Dragoon fighters took direct hit and crashed into the ocean. Lone Wolf NEO made a flyby over the downed pilots who were swimming toward the ship, and nodded to confirm the kill.

"I demand this stupid crossover to stop! Where the hell is Lone Wolf when we need him?" Lone Wolf NEO laughed at the impromptu radio call. That voice belonged to the pissed off Sol and Geese; he knew he would have to avoid them from now on.

x-x-x-x-x

**(background music: _E.S. Posthumus / Pompeii_)**

Alexander pounced at Valentino. Now fully strengthened with Warrior's Amok, he was now giving the Dragoon lord no chance of fighting or defending. The assassin knight kicked him on the torso and sent Valentino crashing on the wall. The blood armour was pulsating rapidly, supplying Alexander with constant flow of energy, and under the influence of the Forbidden Beast he would stop at nothing.

"Blast!" Valentino kicked back and counterattacked. His multiple lance thrusts failed to hit Alexander; instead, Alexander evaded the attacks as if he was eluding wind breeze. He made a quick repel that knocked Valentino's lancer off his hand, and gave the Dragoon lord a hard roundhouse kick on his face. Alexander backed off a bit, pounced at Valentino and snatched his head; thrusting it toward the ground. The crash would have killed Valentino instantly if it wasn't for the headgears he was donning.

Alexander was not satisfied. Gripping Valentino firmly on his neck, he lifted him off the crater and glowered at him. "Remember when you told me that Master Zato wanted Lia to be adopted in by the Guild?" he spoke. "It turned out that it was the Guild's _executives_ who wanted her to join them. Master Zato had explained it clear to me; Lia would not have to follow my footstep as an assassin."

"Lie!" Valentino choked when Alexander's hand crushed his throat. "Lia had wholeheartedly agreed to join me and become Dragoon Society's top warrior! You know nothing!"

"It was because she had _no one_ else to rely on!" Alexander interjected. "You saw an opportunity to step into my family's affair and urged Lia to go against her will. Have you not learned of how she might have felt when you told her you'd help her bringing back her brother?" The blood armour pulsed rapidly; it was influencing Alexander into killing Valentino, yet the decision was held back. "I should have killed you right now, but I won't do it because you must first be punished."

So saying Alexander screamed a battle cry and tossed Valentino back to the wall. He gave Valentino no chance as he attacked him in rapid succession, delivering killing blows on him from all directions possible. Alexander intensified the tempo of his attacks; this time he kicked Valentino high into the night sky and continued his madden attacks on him. The Dragoon lord was no longer capable of defending himself and was nothing more than a living punching bag.

"DIE VALENTINO!"

Valentino crushed on the ground. Alexander landed next to him and grabbed his head; again, Valentino was tossed to the wall, but this time his shoulder blade was stabbed with Alexander's _kodachi._ He cried out in pain as the blade was twisted inside it, and as he crashed on the wall the sword got stuck in its limestone structures.

Eiko overhead the distress call. She jumped into the fight and ordered her followers to cover Valentino. She faced Alexander and found herself overwhelmed by the suppressed killing aura that emerged from inside of him.

"Back off, Miss Tanaka," Alexander demanded. "You are not my target."

"No!" So saying, Eiko opened her stance and got ready for the worst. "I will die for the cause!"

Alexander shook his head. He executed a teleportation move and appeared behind Eiko. The sensation of the killing aura was so strong Eiko's knees started to weaken. "You know, Miss Tanaka," he growled inside her ears, "I kind of liked you when we met for the first time. Perhaps I should tell you that I've wanted to befriend you. What I don't get about you is," and here he seized her nape and squeezed his claw on the spine. "Why are you so stupidly persistent to fight this losing war? Surrender now, and I shall spare your life."

"Let me go…!" Eiko gasped. She was moaning in pain as her nape was squeezed to the point of rupture.

"You didn't answer me, so bye-bye." He released her off the grab and delivered a paralyzing karate chop onto her nape. The female judge was knocked out cold and fell to the ground unconscious. He, then, turned around and glowered at the warrior monks; by now they were struck in immense fear and fled.

Alexander lifted one of his palms into the air. He aimed it at Valentino's heart. He reared up, made a low-sounding growl and suddenly pounced at Valentino. Like a hungry tiger suddenly presented with a banquet of fresh meat, Alexander hurled himself toward the Dragoon lord, with nothing to hold him or stop him. He had only one thing in mind.

_Finish him._

"STOP IT!"

The wall exploded. A portion of the coliseum collapsed into the earth and turned into dusts. Alexander had redirected his punch onto the wall just millimetres before it found its target on Valentino's chest. Somehow, Sion's voice knocked his sense to its normal self, and slowly he was recovering from the killing spree.

He grabbed Valentino's neck for the third time, glowered into his eyes, and grinned. "I am done with you. Let the system of justice decide your fate." He let go off the weakened warrior and walked away from him. Discarding the blood armour off his body, which reverted into its liquid form and seeped into his body, Alexander walked toward the victorious fighters.

"Are we done?" he uttered.

At the same time, the XFA-27A and Strike Freedom made a flyby over the ancient coliseum; the pilots of the aerial fighting vehicles made a record time after neutralizing (note: _neutralizing_, NOT _destroying_ as both Lone Wolf NEO and Kira Yamato are against the ideas of killing people while they're around) the whole Dragoon fleet under 5 minutes. There was more time to wait for _Tuatha de Tahaan_, so the pilot of the XFA-27A made several aerobatic manoeuvres over the sky of Sardinia while Strike Freedom landed next to the coliseum.

"Good job, both of you," Lacus radioed in the two pilots, "I'll expect better cooperation between you in the future."

"Don't mention it, Lacus," Lone Wolf NEO replied. "It's my job."

"So, Lone Wolf-_san_," Kira interfered. "When are you going to propose Takane-_san_ into marriage?" The author screamed out in blasphemy and demanded Kira to stop talking of it. Little did he know, that the radio conversation was purposefully aired over Archangel's speaker system, and the first person who was struck in embarrassment was, of course, Hibiki.

"_Iyaa!"_ Hibiki moaned and cupped her blushing cheeks. "Don't say it out loud, _mou_!"

"Alright! We've won!" Link cheered. Nightmare was defeated by Hikki and Cervantes had to admit defeat due to fierce competition from Mai (to quote Cervantes later on: "I will reclaim my victory in the future"). He and Talim were celebrating the victory with Mai and Hikki, the latter was sporting his version of Geese's victory pose.

Geese could only sigh. "I wish somebody could put an end to this stupidity," he complained.

"Relax, Dad," Rock said and patted his back, "at least we won the battle."

Misaki watched in sympathy, as the _EFZ_ warriors retreated from the coliseum. She waved goodbye to them and turned to the tired Ky. "So, Kiske-_san_," she said, "what did you say about our rematch?"

Ky was puzzled. "Rematch? Did I remember saying anything about it?"

Misaki giggled. She grabbed Ky's uniform, tossed him up the sky and landed her Deadly Rave. The announcer was heard shouting "DESTROYED!" as Ky was Instantly Killed by the finishing move. She waved her silky hair over her shoulders, faked a cry and shrugged. "So sorry, Kiske-_san_, but you're still no match against me."

Sol knelt beside Ky. He poked his body several times, before he stood up and took a sip of his Marlboro. "Owned."

Hayabusa and Logan took a deep breath of relief. The war had finally ended, and now they were thinking of their future. "I should visit my family in Iceland," Logan spoke and holstered the battle axe over his shoulder. "What about you?"

Hayabusa shook his head. He threw his sight to the full moon, as if he was thinking of the best answer possible. "I have no idea. Maybe I should go where my feet leads me," he answered.

"Sounds like a plan to me," Logan replied.

"AH!"

They looked at where Athena was pointing. It was Alexander, and he was toppling on his walk. He lost balance off his feet, and was losing control of his stance. He walked towards Sion, oblivious of the injuries he was suffering, and slipped. He lost unconscious and fell toward the ground when Sion ran up at him and snatched his body before he could reach the pavement. He fell asleep fast in her arms, and Sion was touched by what she was seeing.

She smiled. "You've had it enough, Alex," she whispered and softly kissed his scalp. "Rest as long as you want to, okay?"

_**Coming up: Epilogue**_


	29. Epilogue: Stick With You

**Heart of Melting Blood  
****Legend of the Moonlight  
****Written by:** Lone Wolf NEO  
**Conceived by:** Lone Wolf NEO

**Author's note:** Guilty Gear is copyrighted by Sammy Studios whereas TYPE-MOON holds the right over all products licensed under the company's label. Lone Wolf NEO does not own any or all real-life features or whatever facts featured in this story. He does, however, own the copyright to all his original ideas in this fiction. The author would really appreciate it if readers do not copycat everything inside this story without his knowledge.

**Caution:** this chapter contains even more Internet memes, groping action, massive cameo appearances, people-destroying acts, random glomping actions and uncanny use of flashbacks in ways people never possible think of. You have been forewarned.

**Epilogue  
****Stick With You**

The all-new Kuradoberi Restaurant was bustling in life. Since its corporate takeovers by Kokurabuji couples, business had been growing more prosperous than before. Despite missing its trademark howling chef, customers did not seem to care as they visited the restaurant in daily basis to commemorate their daily ramblings. Everywhere inside the premise, one could see the sight of people from universes of _Guilty Gear_, _SNK_ and _Soul Calibur_, as well as other premises (most notably, _Melty Blood_ and _FATE/Stay Night_) engaged in vibrant social activities. At one corners, the swordsmen of _Last Blade_ and _Last Blade 2_ were playing domino, with the blond-headed Kaede in the winning streak. At another corner, Potemkin and Chipp Zanuff were discussing on plot to dominate the world ("same thing we do every night, Pinkie. To take over the world"), while Chii curiously looked around her. Fighting girls of all threes fighting games were seated in one corner, frolicking and giggling while talking on world and personal issues.

At this time, cue of _Lonely in Gorgeous_ started playing in the background.

Wait a minute. Why is the first chapter so deviously familiar?

"Cheers to Lone Wolf!" In an instant glasses of _sake_ were tossed to commemorate victory the HOMB league had attained during the Battle of Sardinia. Lone Wolf NEO was reluctant to be celebrated as a hero, insisting that it was not just his feat alone that made it possible.

"Come on, Lone Wolf!" Arcueid insisted. "Not all of use get this chance to gather and celebrate our life! _Kampai!_" She tossed a glassful of _sake_ into the air and drank it in one big gulp. "Besides, we can't wait to see you proposing to Hibiki-_chan_ right now. Tee-hee."

"What the--" Lone Wolf NEO screamed blasphemy and demanded Arcueid to stop teasing him. Arcueid ignored him and insisted him to do it quickly "before somebody else does."

Sitting beside him was an equally embarrassed Hibiki. She shyly fiddled with her fingers and nervously looked at the fellows. _"Anou…"_

Kira and Lacus laughed. "Perhaps Lone Wolf-_san_ should never forget what he said over the PA two weeks ago," Lacus said, in which Hibiki blushed more furiously and Lone Wolf NEO snapped in anger at the pink-haired Coordinator. Link and Talim, as well as Saber and Rider, laughed at the author as he helplessly begged his fiancée for help.

"But don't we all feel relieved?" The calm intonation and facial expression of Caster as she put down the ceramic glass on her lap was as uncanny as her speech, despite her _naughty_ reputation. "Things have gone from worse to better since the battle ended. Dragoon Regiment is disbanded, its global operations terminated, all its personnel apprehended, and its leaders awaiting trials at The Hague for numerous charges, including an assassination attempt on President Zanuff."

Chipp overheard his name said. "Holy Zen!" he cried aloud. "I'm assassinated!"

"Don't any of us think it's finally time to acquire peace?" Caster asked.

"It depends on which person the question is asked, Caster," Lone Wolf NEO replied. "Oh, yes. How's Lia doing? Yuuki Darren just sent me her message; she said Sheo wants to know whether Lia's fine or not."

Caster giggled. "Lia-_chan_ is fine; don't worry. The doctor who treated her told me she survived the implant surgery to replace her damaged body parts with cybernetic limbs and organs. It will be another three weeks before she can leave the hospital."

"Cybernetic implants… is it?" Lone Wolf NEO uttered. "I think I know how it ends."

The excitement of the Chinese restaurant was disturbed when Ky wailed loudly and banged his fists and head against the table. Apparently, he was crying over his bad lucks that surged after him, wave after wave, and he was severely drunk. "Oh, God, what sins I committed that I have to be punished like this?" he whined, crying fountains and waterfalls. Sitting beside him, Dizzy helplessly trying to comfort him.

At the bustling corner of Kuradoberi Restaurant, waitresses dressed up in cheongsams in various colour schemes took orders from their customers. One of whom, Son Goku, was giving his _Gensoumaden Saiyuki_ and Asahina Mikuru a serious headache.

"I want fried chicken, I want a king-size lamb chop, I want a jug of coke, I want triple-layer beef burger, I want grilled lobster, I want this, I want that," and the list went on and on as Son Goku placed his orders on the table. Mikuru frantically wrote down the list while Sanzo and Gojyo glowered at the monkey boy in utter disgust.

"Now, now, both of you, why don't you take your orders and eat together with Goku?" Hakkai said. _"Ojouchan_, one combo set of fried noodle and green tea for me, okay?"

"_H-haii!"_ Mikuru replied.

Shirou called for service from his table, where he was seated with Lancer, Archer, Berserker and Shiki. Mikuru asked one of her colleagues to take their orders, whilst she was taking care of the _Gensoumaden Saiyuki_ casts' orders.

Then, "Mi-ku-ru-CHAAAN!"

Suzumiya Haruhi hurled toward Mikuru. Haruhi happily started groping Mikuru. Mikuru gasped and cried for help. Haruhi laughed and continued the physical harassment. Sanzo and Gojyo nosebled. Goku stared at the two girls and asked his fellow what they were doing, in which Hakkai replied, "you're too young to understand, Goku." Shirou, Shiki, Lancer and Archer shouted, "what the hell!" and exploded their nose. Lone Wolf NEO nosebled as well and covered the injury; Hibiki frowned at the reaction her fiancé was showing.

Bridget glared in excitement at the sidetracked drama. May bopped him on the head with Iruka-_san_. "Pervert." Yagami Iori nosebled and gave a thumb's up in silent. "Hey! Not even Yagami-_oniisan_!"

Anji pretended he didn't see it coming. Baiken snorted at him, and he gave the female samurai a badgered look of "what?"

Fan boys materialized. They shouted "ZOMG! GROPING ACTION! WE DEMAND MOAR!" and cheered. Fan girls appeared and pointed at fan boys. "Perverts must die!" Fan boys died, revived and told fan girls to shut up. Fan girls cried sacrilege and tossed bowls and plates at fan boys. Fan boys counterattacked with stones and bricks. Thus, _Fan Combat X: Skies of Craziness_ took place.

"_IYAA!"_ Mikuru moaned. _"MI-MI-MI-MI-MIKURU BIIIIIIIMU!"_ Mikuru disintegrated fan boys, fan girls and perverts with an overdose of Mikuru Beam. All, except for _Gensoumaden Saiyuki_ casts who immediately took shelters under their table, leaving Goku in confusion, as well as Berserker who was not affected by the laser beam.

Announcer jumped in, declared "PERVERTS DESTROYED! MIKURU WINS!" and returned to his table.

Cue music of _Koi no Mikuru Densetsu_ played in the background.

"What the fuck?" Sol Badguy cried out. He was about to unleash his fury on fan boys and fan girls when Mikuru interfered with Mikuru Beam. He looked at the remains of the fans at one sides and perverts at the other side. He shrugged and sat down, enjoying a sip of Marlboro.

"Sol-_kun_!" Kagura tackled him from behind and cutely seized his neck. "Where have you been, Sol-_kun_? I'm getting bored playing with the pirates already."

Sol snapped at the young girl. Kagura giggled and pressed herself against his back. Sol nosebled. Lone Wolf NEO booed at him. Sol replied with a middle finger. Kagura slapped the hand gesture and told him to behave. Sol grumbled at the demand.

"Sheesh. Give me a break."

"You know what, Dad?" Rock said. "I've always wanted to see all the hotties in fan fiction world dancing to the exotic rhythm of _Button_. Then we'd open a club exclusive for all Buttoners to enjoy their time."

"Son," Geese uttered. "Don't tell me you want Hotaru to fulfil your guilty pleasure."

Rock bashfully nodded. "That, and I want to see Dizzy, Mikuru, Athena, Justine, Millia and the rest of the girls doing the same."

Geese stared at Rock. "O RLY?"

"YA RLY," Rock replied.

"O RLY DESU?"

"YA RLY DESU."

"O RLY DESU-DESU-DESU?"

"YA RLY DESU-DESU-DESU."

A customer stood up, shouted "STICK GOES WHERE?" and sat down.

Geese and Rock stared at the customer. Then Ky jumped onto the table, leaving Dizzy startled and screamed: "O SHI- Rock, are you trying to open a pimp-house? Your sin is beyond the grace of God!" So saying Ky withdrew Thunderseal and pointed it to the air. "Thunder! Thunder! Thunder! Thundercat! OOOO!"

"Useless."

Misaki charged at Ky. She snatched him with a _Rashomon_ and tossed him toward Geese. _"Shimatta!"_ Geese charged up and tossed a super _Reppuken_ at the Holy Knight. "OHNOES!" The projectile, and Ky was stunned in the midair for a very long time. Rock executed his Deadly Rave NEO and charged at the helpless French. "NO WAI!" He sent Ky out of Kuradoberi Restaurant, flying for hundreds of metres above sea level before falling into the Pacific.

"_Ne_, Sol-_kun_, why is Ky-_chan_ bullied a lot?" Kagura asked.

"I have no idea what you're talking of," Sol said and handed over a strange creature to Kagura. "So here's a bunny with a pancake on its head."

Time for flashbacks! Or is it flashbacks?

Geese owned Shin Akuma during their _SVC Chaos_ duel. Geese turned to the camera, grinned and said: "predictable."

Rock Instant Killed Alba while fighting through _KOF Maximum Impact_ fights. He turned to Alba's colleagues, shrugged and said: "predictable."

Misaki PWNED Mishio in a disputed encounter at the warehouse. Misaki turned to the rest of the _EFZ_ warriors, threw her hair over her shoulders and said: "predictable."

As for the present, Misaki, Geese and Rock stared at each other in three-way direction. Then they shrugged and made personal post-battle pose. Then they said in unison: "predictable."

"Lone Wolf-_san_, you should keep an eye over your _Heart of Melting Blood's_ contents," Lacus reminded.

"Yes, I should. And as a matter of fact, I need my Prozac," Lone Wolf NEO sighed.

"Well? What's next?" Caster asked. Lacus and Kira, Saber and Rider, Link and Talim, and finally Arcueid, stared at Lone Wolf NEO. The author replied with a twisted look of "what?" and Hibiki elbowed him, telling him to answer the question.

"Hi, guys! What's going on?" They turned at the source of the voice. They could not help but saying "look, a master is out," as Hikki and Mai walked into the restaurant, the latter dressed up in gorgeous red cheongsam with high cuts. _What havoc is this notorious cosplayer/cross-dresser going to ignite again this time?_

"Some people will never learn," Caster spoke.

"I can't help but to agree, Caster-_san_," Hibiki replied.

"Oh, really?" Caster asked.

"Yes, really," Hibiki said, and the two women started deviously giggled. Lone Wolf NEO shuddered when he heard the sinister laughter.

Then _Button_ took over.

x-x-x-x-x

Lia woke up. She found herself on a bed, surrounded by flowers and strange devices. She rose up from her lying position and looked around her. She was inside a garden, and she could see birds and butterflies fluttering around in harmony.

"Where… am I?" Then she looked at herself and found herself wrapped in bandages. "What happened… to me?"

"Hello, Lia."

She turned to the voice. She saw a woman wearing a priestess uniform walking toward her. The person had elaborate jewelries decorated around her, including a silver headress pinned on her hair. She looked more like a _geisha_ than a priestess, and Lia could not help but to be curious. "Who are you?"

The woman smiled and bowed to her. "My name is Aurora, and I'm Handmaiden of Fate. You are now in the Garden of Midnight Blossom."

Lia was perplexed. "What do you mean? Am I… dead?"

Aurora smiled at the question. "If you are indeed dead, Lia, then I wouldn't be here greeting you." Then, she approached Lia and took a seat next to the girl. "Rest assured, Lia. This is a safe haven for everyone. For those who enter this place, their safety will be untouched."

Lia frowned. "Am I going to be alone?" She held her right arm when she felt a pulsating pain inside of her limb. "Why do I feel pain? What really happened to me?"

Aurora shook her head and took hold of Lia's hand. "You aren't going to be alone, Lia, because I'm here to keep you accompanied." Lia shivered at the delicate touch and seized the handmaiden's palm, squeezing it tightly. "What's the matter, Lia? What's wrong?"

"I want my brother…" Tears fell down her cheeks onto the blanket, with some dripping onto the bandages, as Lia silently wept. "I want to be with my brother…"

Slowly, and carefully, Aurora encircled her arms around Lia and pulled the helpless girl into a warm embrace. "I'm very sorry, Lia, but I was told that your brother can't be with you. He has to leave you because he has to redeem himself first. It may take years before he can return to you."

Lia cried. Burying her flushed face beneath the clothes, she cried in Aurora's arms and unconsciously clung onto the handmaiden. "How could he…" she sobbed. "How could he leave me like this…? Why can't I… just live with him?"

Aurora soothed her, affectinately holding her as close as she could. "Because she knows what is the best for you, Lia. He wouldn't leave you if he didn't have a strong reason to do it," she uttered. "He loves you, that's why…"

Lia clung onto Aurora even closer. "I'm going to hate you after this, Brother Alex…" she mumbled.

Aurora chuckled. Softly rubbing Lia's bandaged back, she gave her a light kiss upon her scalp. "Would you like me to stay with you, Lia?"

Lia said nothing. All she did was to snug up on the embrace, and rested firmly in Aurora's caring hold. "How I wish to have a mother holding me like this…" she whispered.

"Then let me be your mother, Lia," Aurora replied and held the girl like a mother holding her precious child. "I will try my best to keep you happy."

Lia smiled. Slowly she closed her eyes and began to doze off. "Thank you, mother…"

x-x-x-x-x

"Alex?"

Alexander was startled. He looked at his wife Sion, and was perplexed when she gave him a long, confused look. "What? What is it?"

"You look troubled," Sion said. "Did something happen?"

Alexander shrugged. He laughed and threw his sight to the sky. "No, nothing. I was just having a bit of remembrance."

Sion pouted at the answer. She took hold of his hand and squeezed it very tightly. Alexander yelped in pain and demanded her to stop hurting him. "That's because you've been like this for the past 3 hours. What's wrong with you really?"

Alexander stared at the purple-haired woman he loved very much. He chuckled and traced his finger down her face, and it came to a stop on her cheek. "Come on, is it really wrong?" he said and bent down, brushing his lips upon her neck.

Sion shivered at the seductive touch she felt. "Oh, Alex, please…" she begged and began holding him. "You naughty wolf…"

Alexander laughed at the respond. "So, my beautiful wife starts calling me a naughty wolf," he uttered as he claimed her moist lips. "Then I'll show how naughty this wolf really is." The kiss was delicate and long, and Sion took no hesitation in replying into it. Mindlessly she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled herself onto him, sighing in pleasure at the masculine touch she felt around her.

Alexander released her. He stared into her dreamy purple eyes, grinned and held her. He gazed into the evening sky, said nothing and let out a long sigh. "I should've return to the town already. I kind of missed the kindergarten and the kids."

"Going to train yourself to become a father, aren't you?"

"That, and I want to help the children with their studies," he told her. "I miss Ayu and Akiko. I just hope they won't beat me when I come back to them."

She laughed at the statement. "You silly." She turned on her feet and leaned against Alexander's lean figure. She, too, gazed into the sunset and took hold of his arms that were wrapped about her waist. "I love you, Alex…"

Alex nodded and held her even closer. "I love you even more, Sion… I love you even more…"

_Nobody gonna love me better  
__I must stick with you forever  
__Nobody gonna take me higher  
__I must stick with you…_

_You know how I appreciate it, baby  
__I must stick with you, my baby  
__Nobody ever made me feel this way  
__I must stick with you…_

**FIN**


End file.
